Twilight in Trissamé
by Chaotic Lullaby
Summary: Riza finds herself in an alternate universe strangely similar to Amestris, where alchemy doesn't exist, but vampires do. Royai, slight Havocai.
1. Déjà vu?

_A/N: Let's head off to an alternate FMA universe! So some of it may be crack and out-of-character. But I'll try to keep the characters as…well, in-character as possible.   
_

_Consider this as an early Halloween piece! Approximately four months early, to be exact… XD I wrote this for a contest. Hurrah.   
_

---

_Welcome to Trissamé._

The blond woman raised her eyebrows as she read the sign over her head. She was relatively new to this town, and for some strange reason, that name seemed to ring a bell. Where did she hear this name before? She couldn't put her finger on it…

"New to this town, are you? I've never seen you around."

She turned around and saw a man standing behind her. He was good-looking, she noted, with black hair and light green eyes behind rectangular glasses. In one hand was the hat he had taken off in greeting, and he was smiling. His smile was more than just friendly – it exuded a warm aura and was most definitely not one of those big fat smirks perverts wore before they started doing what they loved to do…

"I'm just here to…visit my grandfather," she replied, returning the smile and hefting her two suitcases. "Grumman, do you know him?"

The man nodded. "Ah, yes, he lives just next door to my knife shop. By the way, you can call me Hughes. And I'm sorry, I have a wife. Her name is Gracia, and we have a cute little daughter named Elysia. I bet you're itching to know more about them, are you?"

"Umm…pleased to meet you…Mr. Hughes," she replied. There was something familiar about this man as well…

"Oh, don't be so formal," said Hughes, shaking his head and taking one of her suitcases. "In which inn will you be staying? I bet you'll be staying in the one my wife runs, huh? She runs the best one in Trissamé! And you would be…"

"I'm Riza Hawkeye," the woman introduced herself.

Hughes nodded. "I see. I suppose it's because of those guns you have, right?" He eyed the two pistols she had in her belt.

"I can carry that myself, thank you," said Riza, taking her luggage back from him. "But you could show me the way to the inn you were talking about. I can't saddle my grandfather with more work. Besides, I have the money to rent a room for a few days or so."

Hughes grinned sheepishly. "All right, then. This way! It's not too far away from here, not much of a walk."

Riza nodded as she followed him down the lane, carrying her luggage and shaking her head whenever Hughes offered to take her things. Her sense of déjà vu was climbing as she passed through houses, shops, carriages, and other random things. Nobody was shouting, but there was a lot of talk going around, and some of the townspeople chanced a glimpse of this newcomer. One of the men, with hair that was either a very light brown or a dark shade of blond and bright blue eyes, waved to Hughes before lighting a cheroot.

"Hey, Hughes, who's the cute chick?"

Riza blushed at his comment, but managed to just smile demurely and wave. _Somehow I know this guy…_

"This is Riza Hawkeye, Jean. She'll be staying in town for a while to visit her grandfather. I bet you can't wait to ask her out, huh?"

Both Riza and Jean glared at Hughes.

"Well…I guess I'll be showing her to Gracia's inn," said Hughes, sounding extremely apologetic. "_The_ _Gracious Angel_. She named it herself! Isn't it such a lovely, heavenly name?"

"Yeah, yeah, it sure is," said Jean absently, exhaling some smoke. "See ya."

Hughes went on, Riza keeping up quite well even as he jogged through the streets, waving every now and then to some people around. Apparently the guy was popular, and judging from how excitedly he trudged, they were getting closer. _He also claims to have never seen me before…but why do I feel as though I've met him before I came to this town…Trissamé? Even the name…_

"Here we are! Told you it wasn't that far!"

Riza glanced up at the building that loomed before her. It had three floors, and had a huge sign that screamed _The Gracious Angel _in big, curling capitals splashed with soft pastel colors. The walls and pretty much everything else seemed simpler, which was a relief. More homey than flashy – it was a good combination for an inn. She went inside with Hughes, and a smiling woman – obviously Gracia, from the way Hughes ran towards her and gathered her up into a big hug – greeted them from the reception desk.

She could feel even more of that déjà vu now.

When the two of them finally let go of each other and the owner of the inn went back to her post behind the desk, Gracia spoke. "Welcome to _The Gracious Angel_. Hope you enjoy your stay! Will this be a room for one, miss?"

"Yes," said Riza. "Umm…" She wanted to ask this Gracia if they had met, but didn't want to sound too uncouth, or even paranoid.

"And your name is…?"

"Riza Hawkeye. Thank you…Gracia."

"You must be new in town. Never heard of anyone around here with that name," said Gracia, more to herself than to Hughes or to Riza while writing Riza's name in a record book. "You'll be taking room one-oh-one. Take the stairs, turn left, and the last door down that corridor would be your room." She glanced down and said softly, "Elysia, we'll play later. Mommy has a customer."

"Daddy will play with you!" Hughes, suddenly quiet, was back to his rather outgoing self again. He went to the desk, bent over, and lifted a little girl onto his shoulders. The girl and Gracia both had the same light, dusty-brown hair and green eyes. Obviously, she could be none other than Elysia.

Elysia giggled as she rode on top of her father and they started cantering about the dining hall just beside the staircase. Something told Riza she must have seen this scene more than just once…but the question was, where…

"Miss Hawkeye?"

Riza blinked, and found herself staring again at Gracia holding out a key. Riza took it. "Thanks. And no need to summon a bellhop. I can carry my own things."

As she took her luggage and headed for the stairs, Gracia glanced at Hughes as he went back to her desk and gently sat Elysia on it.

"She's quite a strange character, that Miss Hawkeye."

"She's new; you can't blame her for that, Gracia. Well, I'll be off to work now. Those knives don't make themselves, you know. Daddy will be back later to play some more, all right?"

"'Bye, Daddy!"

"See you later."

---

"Grandfather?"

"Yes, Riza? You do not like the muffins I bought for you? Maybe it's a little stuffy in my summer home in Trissamé?"

Riza shifted uneasily in her seat and faced Grumman, who was moving his black queen forward on the chessboard. "Well…that's just it. Since when have you had a summer home in Trissamé? And for some reason, even though I haven't been in it, since I never even knew such a place existed, its name seems familiar to me, like I've heard it before some time ago. Maybe even heard it more than just once."

Grumman watched her move a white bishop a few black squares back. "And why do you think that?"

"I don't know," she replied. "And the people around here…it's the same thing…I don't know who to turn to right now, Grandfather…"

"Check." A black bishop threatened Riza's king. "Don't you worry; I think you've just been overworking. Try to relax a bit…that's why I invited you here. So you can focus on other things besides work. And…I know this'll sound a little clichéd, but follow your heart once in a while. Your mind and aim can't always rule you, can they?"

Riza wanted badly to complain to Grumman about her ominous feelings about the town, but she knew better than to start ranting like a kid. Besides, it was only her first day – maybe things would straighten out later on. After all, there were more serious matters to attend to.

Like keeping her king safe.

---

"So, I see you're back from visiting your grandfather. How is old Grumman these days? He used to be the sheriff of this town till he retired not too long ago. The new guy – who's not as new as he used to be, frankly – is Bradley. I think it's about time we need another new sheriff, but he's holding on pretty tight."

That night, after coming home from visiting her grandfather, Riza had dinner with the Hughes family, not to mention a few other customers, one of which included a blond-haired teenage girl with several holes in her ears and big, bright blue eyes.

"I came here to see Edward."

"The boy with the prosthetic arm?" asked Hughes, reaching out for the fish course. "His nose was buried in a huge science book the last time I saw him. I think he's probably researching for a way to make his arm better. And his leg. He's got an artificial arm and leg."

The girl raised her eyebrows. "He doesn't need that – he has me to fix everything for him!"

Hughes shrugged. "Well, he probably still longs for the normal life. And his younger brother's in bad shape too these days…maybe he's not looking for a way to ease his situation, but Alphonse's. I haven't seen Al around for a real long time. I do hope he's doing well."

_Déjà vu_, thought Riza to herself. _If this isn't déjà vu, I don't know what is. A boy named Edward with prosthetic limbs and a younger brother named Alphonse that he's putting first before himself? A girl who claimed to be able to fix Edward's artificial arm and leg? Add Hughes and his family and that man Jean…_

"You mean there's a new story that's going around?" the girl sitting across from Riza asked incredulously, snapping Riza out of her trance.

"Story?" Riza repeated.

Hughes grinned, reaching out to wipe Elysia's chin with his napkin. "I think you two deserve to hear it. It's been going around lately that another couple has seen him."

"Seen who?"

"Maybe I'll start from the beginning," he said, eyeing Riza. "I'm guessing you never heard anything about the vampire that supposedly lurks around the outskirts of Trissamé, only coming out at night and by a rush of fire?"

"No…"

While Gracia took Elysia away, possibly off to bed (and so she wouldn't be spooked by ghost stories), Riza and the girl – who later introduced herself as Winry – and some other curious diners stayed behind to hear Hughes tell his story. In fact, he was now standing up, and the lights in _The Gracious Angel_'s main hall dimmed abruptly.

"Let's hear it," said Winry eagerly.


	2. Encounter

"Wait! We'll tell the story!"

Hughes watched as two men burst out of the kitchen – one of them was a black-haired waiter who pushed up his glasses with one hand while balancing a tray with the other, and the other, a redhead, was taller and was clutching a chef's hat.

"I see Kain and Heymans have heard us," said Hughes with a grin, sitting down. The lights were still dimmed. "They claim to remember the most stories and legends about the vampire, and are the best at telling tales. You're in luck, Miss Hawkeye."

"I am?" asked Riza.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Winry. "Come on, the story doesn't tell itself, you know!"

Kain shoved the tray towards Heymans, who passed it on to another waiter who was about to disappear into the kitchen. As she watched them, Riza wondered if she had seen those two before. They seemed familiar enough…

"This is the story of the Flaming Vampire," the chef began, wiping a bit of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief dotted with little yellow chicks after replacing the hat on his head. "Most of the time, especially during daytime, he doesn't bother Trissamé. Nobody knows where he lives, or where he stays when he's not out at night having fun popping up in front of young couples out on dates, or appearing before women who insist on staying out a little too late."

"Yeah, yeah, we know that," interrupted Winry. "What's the new story?"

"Well, we'll just rattle off the basics for our new customer," said Kain, gesturing towards Riza. "Keep going." He nodded at Heymans.

"They call him the Flaming Vampire because before he comes, you'll see a rush of fire that seems to come out of nowhere," said Heymans, making random gestures that were supposedly meant to give people a little scare, but were actually more silly than scary. "Then when he leaves, he also disappears behind a wall of fire, so you don't see where he's going. That's why nobody knows where he goes when he's not in our beloved town."

"He only strikes when women are out at night, or when couples insist on having dates," added Kain. "Although there are no reports of anyone actually getting bitten and/or turning into a vampire…"

Riza stared at them before saying coolly, "Maybe all this fire is just a coincidence or a prank. After all, you did say nobody was bitten, right?"

"It's happened too many times, and each time, more people claim to have seen the vampire up close," said Hughes darkly. "And they all have the same description – somewhat messy black hair and bluish-black eyes, and he wears a black cape and suit with a red bow tie. Nobody knows how he makes all that fire without whipping out matches or torches – or so I've heard. But all the women go crazy over him, anyway. They think he's the most handsome man they've ever seen. Plus, some brave people take walks at night on purpose to get a glimpse of him. Well, he hasn't exactly harmed anyone…just emerged before people and freaked them out."

"That doesn't sound scary to me," said Riza with a shrug. "So, what's with this new story?"

"Denny insisted on taking Maria out on a date a few nights ago in the park somewhere around the outskirts of town. They ran back, screaming over and over that they saw him," replied Heymans. "Actually, it was Denny who was screaming over and over again till his voice was hoarse. Good thing we had Dr. Marcoh brew up something for his throat, which also calmed him down a bit."

Kain broke into peals of laughter, hanging onto his friend. "He was freaked out of his wits, but Maria Ross was all right! She even said the vampire was rather good-looking, and didn't even try to attack…he just stood there after all the fire had gone out, and then Denny just grabbed her and _whoosh_, straight back into town. He vowed never to go to that park again!"

"But he's been sighted in other places outside town, it won't do him much good," said Winry with a shrug. "At least, that's what I hear."

"True, true," agreed Hughes. "That's pretty much the newest vampire sighting, no?"

"Aye," said Heymans. "He hasn't popped up ever since…or maybe that's because all the men around here insist on keeping the ladies locked up. We suggest keeping _you_ locked up as well." He winked at Riza. "Who knows, he might want to go after someone new. And we never know when he might _really_ start rearing those fangs of his…"

They were brightening the lights again, Riza noticed. But even though this was probably meant to give her a little scare, there seemed to be nothing particularly frightening about this Flaming Vampire character, maybe besides the fact that he could probably control fire, and appeared and disappeared all the time, and those things weren't even that scary to begin with.

She thought of this as she went up the stairs after bidding everyone a good night, not to mention how much déjà vu she had today, ever since entering the town for the first time.

Or was it her first time in Trissamé?

---

"They say Katherine saw the vampire last night, while on a date with Jean."

"Katherine – the sculptor's sister?"

"Yeah…but so far, nobody's talked to her yet. But Jean says there wasn't any fire…or maybe it was just a little before sunset, so you could mistake the light for a bit of fire…"

As she walked through the streets of the town, having nothing else to do the next afternoon after visiting her grandfather again, Riza made a note to catch as many snippets of conversation as she could. Was this whole thing really only an urban legend that mothers threatened children with, or was the entire town conspiring to pull pranks on unsuspecting tourists? For some reason, the vampire case sounded…interesting, even though there was a possibility everyone was pulling her leg. There was simply something about it that caught her attention…made her kind of _excited_…

At least it gave her something to think about besides her recent bouts of déjà vu. While she mulled over these things, she accidentally bumped into someone on the sidewalk.

"Oh…I'm sorry…"

"Miss Hawkeye?"

Jean took his hat off to her and smiled before relighting his cigar with a match. She asked him, "Is it true you saw the vampire last night?"

"Yup…and unfortunately, after that, Katherine dumped me. Guess I'm not buff enough for her."

"I'm sorry," Riza repeated. "Anyhow…what did he look like?"

"Like the stories…he's got dark hair and eyes, wears a lot of black, and before he came out, we thought something had caught fire nearby, until it suddenly fizzled out…and then…"

Riza nodded, not too aware that she and Jean continued to walk across town. But at least it was only a small town.

"I grabbed Katherine, and we bolted, but she told me that there was nothing to be afraid of. Well, I told her, 'What if he decides that it's about time he fed on someone's blood tonight?' as we ran, but she tried to look back. I looked too, over my shoulder, and saw that he was gone again."

"Are you sure you saw him?" she asked. "Maybe it was just a prank; or maybe a joke…"

"No joke, Miss Hawkeye," was the reply. "You could even ask Katherine…but I don't think she'd want to see me again, at least till I get better muscles. You seem interested in the whole vampire thing; would you care to hear a few stories?"

"We had a bit of storytelling last night at _The Gracious Angel_," said Riza. "At least I get the big picture. He's always seen just outside Trissamé, right?"

Jean nodded. "He doesn't enter the town itself."

The two of them continued talking and walking even as the sun started to set, and they took a seat on a bench in a park around the town outskirts to rest their feet. Jean took a deep breath and leaned back, but as the sun was two-thirds gone, he suddenly stood up again.

"Miss Hawkeye, let's go! He could reappear any minute! It's almost dark!"

"I thought the vampire didn't bite anyone and just showed himself to anyone around."

"That's the thing! We never know when he'll start putting the bite on us and do more than just – "

He froze, but Riza still hadn't gotten up from her spot on the bench. Somewhere in the distance, a dog (or was it a wolf?) howled. Crickets started singing their nightly songs. Everything was much darker than it had been a few moments ago, now that the sun had completely set, and the sky took on a purple tinge that would slowly yield to black.

"Come on, Miss Hawk – "

The last syllable was lost somewhere in Jean's throat as a huge column of smokeless fire rose before them in a blaze of searing red, orange and yellow. He yelped, and was gone before Riza could even stand.

So were the flames.

She shook her head and stood up, brushing something off her skirt. Part of her wanted to get back to the inn, yet another part told her that this was her chance to see the vampire for herself, decide once and for all whether this was just a big show put up for new people like her…

"Good evening," whispered a low baritone. The voice sounded very debonair and polite, and yet had that little dash of boyish arrogance.

It was Riza's turn to freeze on the spot. _Where have I heard that voice before?_

Something touched her hand. She glanced down and saw someone kneeling on one knee before her, taking her fingers in his white-gloved hand. The man craned his neck upward and gazed into her eyes with his own – black, with a touch of blue, thankfully not lost in his jet-black fringe. He was elegantly dressed, as though going off to a formal gathering, and a dark cape covered his back.

"Are you…?" Riza stopped in mid-question as he got back on his feet, running a hand through his hair and smiling. He could have passed for a normal human being, had it not been for those two long fangs protruding from his upper row of teeth. She groped around her waist for a revolver, and quickly grabbed it, pointing it dangerously at the man. "What – who are you?"

"You must be new in town," he whispered. "I bet you have heard so much about me. But my dear woman, I am as real as they say. And please, put down your gun. I'm not going to hurt you. But if I do, you may shoot me."

"You're the…"

"Yes," he said, sidling a little closer to her. "What is your name?"

Riza didn't answer at first. She didn't know what a vampire would do with her identity, but then again, it was probably better to be safe than sorry. However, there was just something about him…something that made her blurt out the answer.

"I'm Riza Hawkeye."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he answered, taking her hand again and kissing it gently, sending a wave of giddy sensations through her arm and eventually through all of her. "Unfortunately…you must leave now, before everyone searches for you. Don't worry them so. Till we meet again, Miss Riza Hawkeye."

She squinted at the sudden burst of fire that erupted where the vampire had been standing. And just as abruptly as it had come, everything was as clear and clean as it always been, not even a scorch mark or little bits of ashes around to tell her tale. But the grass was not all spotless and green – there was something else, flat and white, distorting the uniformity of the environment.

Bending down to pick it up in her gun-free hand, she saw that it was a piece of paper, a bit charred at the edges, but the single word written on it in vivid sapphire blue was clear, and she said it softly to herself.

_Roy._

"Miss Hawkeye! Miss Hawkeye!"

Riza hastily pocketed the paper and whipped around at the sound of her name. She saw a few men pushing through the trees as though someone (or something) was chasing them, and at the sight of her, they quickened their pace.

"Miss Hawkeye, I'm so sorry!" cried Jean. "Were you hurt? Did he scare you? I thought you were just behind me and then I turned around and you weren't there, so I got help – "

"I don't think she's freaked out that much," said Hughes. "Don't you worry too much – besides, she's got a gun! Did you see him? Did you shoot the vampire?"

"No," she said. "I'm all right. I did see him…"

Kain the waiter wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand. "Oh, thank goodness you're fine. Come on, Heymans has got something big for us tonight. You wouldn't want to miss tonight's special course."

"Gracia helped too!" Hughes chimed in. "You know, it was her idea to add that sage to the vegetables before they – "

But as they headed back into town, Riza couldn't help but stick her hand back into her pocket after returning her gun into its holster. She felt the thin paper in her fingers, ran them over its charred, powdery edges, and traced the impression of the pen that wrote the name onto the paper…

_Roy._


	3. Q&A

_A/N: OMG SCIEZKA/FALMAN! XD _

---

That night, Riza lay awake, now definitely saddled with more than just déjà vu to think about. She turned over in her bed, shifting around in that overly fluffy thing that still managed to pass as a mattress, and reached out for the drawer in her side table after flicking on the lamp on the table. The hands on the small clock, illuminated by the lamp, were both pointing to twelve. The grandfather clock downstairs was already chiming the midnight hour, loud enough for her to hear from the second floor of _The Gracious Angel._

Her fingers closed around that paper again, stained black by the burnt parts shriveling up into ashes. But she was too busy rereading the word scrawled onto it in deep blue to notice her dirty hand.

_Roy._

Was that…the vampire's name?

After all, everyone in town just referred to him as the 'Flaming Vampire'. Did he reveal his identity to anyone else besides her, but they were all just keeping their mouths shut? When they had gotten back to _The Gracious Angel_, nobody asked her if she got anything from him. Not a single person had even bothered to pull her back into some clandestine corner of the inn and solicit information about the vampire from her.

And the one thing that was keeping her awake the most was the fact that he was _real_. If there had been anything fake about him, either she would have found out, or something would have been off in his show of appearing and disappearing.

_He might just be the town idiot. Why are you thinking so much about him? Is it because he's every bit as good-looking as the other girls claim, even if he could turn out to be the town jester or someone roped into some tourist-attracting gig, or a common conman? And what's so special about this piece of paper, anyway? He just dropped a calling card, or at least, fooled around like he's probably told to. _

Riza rolled her eyes and stashed the paper back into the drawer. _Then why lose sleep over him – Roy, if that's really his name?_

She turned the lamp off and rolled over, letting herself head off into Dreamland. _Inane, _she thought to herself before really drifting off. _This is inane. _

---

"C'mon, you think she's pretty, right? I mean, look at her smile – as bright as the sun on this beautiful morning, maybe even brighter! Doesn't she take after me?"

"Good morning, Hughes," said Riza, pulling up a chair, sitting down at the nearest table and reaching out for the menu.

Hughes turned around from where he was shoving a couple of photos of his daughter Elysia into the face of a man with squinty eyes and an armful of books. "Oh, hello there! Falman, this is Riza Hawkeye, she's staying with us for a bit. And did I mention she was the one who – "

"Saw the vampire last night, I know!" said Falman excitedly, putting down his research materials on the table next to Riza's. "Jean told me! The town's librarian and I are working together to compile all these stories and legends about the Flaming Vampire! Listen, Miss Hawkeye, if it's not too much trouble, I would like to interview you about your experience! And this would be much easier if he had a name…I've never heard it in any of the accounts I've gathered! Perhaps Sciezka would have some…"

_If this is really a gag, they're really taking it far, _thought Riza, after a waitress took her order and strolled into the kitchen. Riza reached out for one of Falman's notebooks and scanned the notes. _Really, really far._

"You're really taking this far, aren't you, Falman?" said Hughes, reading over Riza's shoulder.

Falman beamed. "This'll help Trissaméan tourism! I mean, the figures have been down ever since 1885, and we do need some other means of income besides architecture, metalwork – "

"Let the lady have her breakfast first." Hughes took the notebook from Riza when her meal arrived, brought over by Kain, who waved at them before disappearing into the kitchen doors. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat yourself?"

"No thanks, Hughes, I've had toast before I left. Then after this interview, I'm off to the library so I can give my findings to Sciezka."

"You like her, don't you?" said Hughes in a particularly annoying, singsong voice. "You know, I would definitely love to be the best man at your – "

Falman grabbed his notebook and smacked Hughes with it. "Oh, shut up." But hitting Gracia's husband with his vampire findings did nothing to keep Falman's face from flushing a very deep scarlet. "I said I would give my findings to Sciezka, not take her out on a date! We're not even going steady!"

Rubbing his shoulder, Hughes continued to smile as he replied mischievously, "Oh, maybe not _yet_…"

The two of them kept on bickering until they heard the clang of silverware, footsteps of a waiter and Riza saying, "Okay, Mr. Falman, what do you want to know?"

"Everything," said Falman, plopping himself into a chair and drawing a pen from his shirt pocket. "Anything you saw, or heard, or felt, or smelled, or whatever, when the vampire appeared! Did he tell you his name?"

"Well…he certainly didn't try to bite me," said Riza with a nonchalant shrug. "I pointed a gun at him but he wasn't scared. I didn't shoot, and he did come and go by fire…"

Falman nodded, and kept on writing in his notebook. Hughes was already by yet another table, showing off his photos of Elysia to the two men having coffee, and judging from his expression, he was absolutely enjoying himself.

"Did he tell you anything…did he speak? How long were you with him after Jean bolted? What about his name? He's never told anyone his name…"

Riza found herself thinking of that piece of paper she kept inside her drawer, with that name written on it. Should she tell him what the vampire had given her…if he really meant to give it to her?

"He didn't say much," she answered. "Not his name…just said 'Good evening' and told me he was the vampire everyone was talking about here. I don't know how long he was around before Jean, Hughes and Kain showed up…"

"Damn! I thought we were finally going to know his name!" muttered Falman, twirling his pen before putting Riza's words into writing.

"Nobody knows?" she asked calmly.

"Nobody," Falman emphasized his point by tapping his pen twice on the table. "Like I said, that's why we just dubbed him the Flaming Vampire. F.V. would do the trick too, but he needs a much better name than that."

And then Riza found herself thinking…would he return tonight?

_Why would you ask that? _Her more sensible side answered with another question.

_I don't know…I really don't know. I just thought of it, that's all. What are the odds that he would see me again? Maybe I'll find out…_

"Was he really black-haired and dark-eyed as the other stories say?"

Falman's next question brought Riza back into _The Gracious Angel_, where she was being interrogated by a man who wanted to amass information on the Flaming Vampire and the innkeeper's husband was flitting from table to table with several photos of his daughter and wife on hand.

"Yes, he was."

---

_This is stupid. Why am I out here again? _

Half of the sun had already disappeared below the horizon. The sky was a myriad of colors – red, blue, purple, and orange and yellow where the rays burned most brightly. There were probably some stars already coming out early. She looked down at her shadow and watched it shudder and grow, as though getting impatient.

_Why am I out here? For all I know, this is what everyone at that town wants…me getting fooled by a guy in a vampire costume, and everyone would be in cahoots…Hughes, Gracia, Jean, Falman…_

Riza just stood there, in a simple white blouse and dark brown skirt, with her guns, just in case. She glanced all around her, half-expecting to see people hiding in bushes or lurking behind trees, watching her ever move, but found nothing. Not a single leaf rustled, and everything was eerily silent save some birds singing their last few – or first few – notes and the crickets attempting to create harmony with the birdsong.

The warmer-colored parts of the sky were now giving way to dark blue and purple, with dashes of black that would eventually dominate the heavens. A few sparkles of light dotted the scene – stars. Riza decided to amuse herself by seeing if there were any constellations, but of course, it was still a bit too bright to see all the stars clearly.

_Seriously, what made me decide to come here, anyway? And I forgot to ask if the vampire appears in the same place on two consecutive – _

She heard the rush and crackle of a fire coming to life. Riza whipped around and saw a rose bush engulfed in flame, but before she could react, the bush was once again unscathed, and there were no signs of a fire even starting. Her right hand instinctively felt for a gun, but she relinquished her grip when she saw a man beside that bush, picking out a rose without getting his immaculate white gloves entangled in the thorns.

"Miss Riza Hawkeye," he greeted her formally, holding out the rose, which was supposedly a shade of red, but now that it was dark, Riza could not properly appreciate its color. She slowly walked towards him, and reached out for the rose. It found its way into her hand – the one that had reached for the gun earlier.

"So…you're back again," she said hesitantly, clutching the rose gingerly so she didn't get pricked. "Can you answer a question for me?"

He leaned against a tree, picking another rose and holding it in his index finger and thumb as though examining it. "Did you only come here to interrogate me, Miss Hawkeye?"

Riza took a deep breath. She wanted to tell the truth – that she only wanted answers – but thought better of it. Supernatural beings most probably had feelings too, anyway, and there was no telling what a ticked-off vampire was capable, especially one who could control fire. Somewhat mechanically, she shook her head.

"What do you want to know?"

She stared at her feet demurely, watching a nocturnal butterfly flutter through the blades of grass before saying, "Is your name really Roy, or are you pulling my leg?" Riza almost added, "Are you in cahoots with the entire town of Trissamé, trying to make a tourist-attracting gag? Are you really a real vampire, or are you just a really, really good actor? What do you want from me?" but she closed her mouth quickly and waited for the vampire's answer.

Baring his fangs – which were too perfectly in line with the rest of his teeth to be fake, he looked at the rose and seemed to answer it instead of Riza. "Yes, my name is Roy. It means 'king'. Unfortunately, I am a very lonely king." He seemed to be doing something to the flower's stem as he spoke.

Riza had this nagging feeling that he wanted something from her.

Her suspicions were justified as Roy stepped forward with his rose till his face was only inches away from hers. Before she could move, he reached behind her head and undid the clip holding her long blond hair into a bun. Emancipated from the accessory, her hair swung down, swaying gracefully with the cool night breeze. He pressed the clip into her free hand, and then tucked his now thorn-deprived rose behind her right ear.

"Not bad," he said, stroking his chin with a gloved hand.

"Very funny," Riza replied. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

Roy turned away from her and wandered aimlessly around the spot underneath the tree. "What would you like me to tell you?" His cape rippled in the wind, which passed by him before enveloping Riza in its chilly embrace. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm and mentally berated herself for not bringing a coat.

"Are you a real vampire in the first place, or is this some kind of gag? If so, judging from how many people have seen you, it's getting old and you might want to consider something new." She shuddered as more of the breeze blew past, and if those eddies had feelings, they would probably be enjoying chilling her with their cold breath.

Before she knew it, he was beside her again. Roy undid the golden clasp that fastened his cape, and swept it off him with a flourish that was a bit too ostentatious for Riza's taste. He then draped it over her shoulders.

"I wish I wasn't," he whispered, looking away again and gazing skyward, at the stars that had started to multiply while they talked. "I could give you a demonstration…take your blood to fill me, but I can't."

"Which means you really aren't real," Riza interrupted. "Don't all vampires need human blood to survive? If you haven't been feeding off anyone lately…how do you stay alive? And…do you think I'm asking too many questions?"

Roy chuckled, a deep yet dulcet, lively sound that clashed with his glistening fangs. "No, Miss Hawkeye, I think curiosity can be a good thing. You see…"

He paused and caught a glimpse of the starry sky once again. "You should be back in town. They must be worrying about you."

"No…they know I can take care of myself," said Riza, a hand on her gun holster. "I think you're the one worrying, not them…Roy. And call me Riza."

"Me? Worry?" Roy laughed again, and Riza found herself wishing that he could laugh forever. "Don't make them go through all the trouble of creating search parties and groping around in this darkness. Oh, and you can keep the cape."

Wrapping his cape around her tighter as the wind eddied around her again, she asked, "What about you?"

For a couple of moments, the wind was the only sound either of them could hear. Then Roy drew ever closer once again, close enough for Riza to feel his breath on her cheek, warming her face after the breeze played around it, and smell the perfume he was wearing. _Now where have I smelled that before? _With a pleading expression, he placed his hands over the one devoid of rose, and once again, his midnight gaze seemed to bore into hers.

"Will I see you again…Riza?"

_Am I really going to stay out at night to see a vampire again? This is the second night I've met him…and he still hasn't made any move to hurt me. Well, if he does, at least I'm ready._

"Tomorrow night," she whispered, scarcely believing the words she just blurted out into the cool night.

"Very well…good night, Lady Riza."

She barely had time to jump out of the way as fire exploded beside her, bathing her right side in heat. When everything was dark again, except for a few dazzling spots she was trying to blink away from her eyes, Riza stood there for several seconds, thinking of what had just happened between her and the vampire – Roy.

As she started down the path that would take her back into the heart of Trissamé, she became conscious of her hair being toyed freely by the wind, a rose in her hair and in her hand, and a jet-black cape wrapped around her.

Riza stopped, stashed the two roses in her skirt pocket as carefully as she could without damaging the flowers (or pricking herself on the one that still had thorns), and clipped her hair back into its usual bun as best as she could with chilly gusts blowing into her face and lifting her golden tresses as they went. Finally, braving the cold, she slowly took off the cape and folded it, carrying it as she would an unused jacket or coat.

It was best not to attract too much attention…for her sake, and for Roy's.


	4. Promises and Smiles

_And this is where I start rushing things! XD cough_

_Aaaaaaand…trying to make my own little supernatural world here, so don't start bashing the ways of my vampires. XD I don't write about that kind of stuff usually, see. sweatdrop_

---

"Has she come back yet from visiting her grandfather?"

"Maybe she decided to take a tour of the town. Miss Hawkeye is a very capable woman, and obviously responsible. And…she got a little sidetracked on the way, maybe. After all, she has only been here for a couple of days and doesn't know Trissamé as much as we do."

The bell over the front door clinked, announcing someone's arrival and letting in some of the chilly wind. Hughes wrapped his jacket around him a little tighter as it blew past him. "Wow, soon people will start badgering us for extra blankets. You have the key to the closet, Gracia? Oh…Miss Hawkeye, you're back!"

Riza smiled at Hughes and Gracia, who were still hanging around the reception desk. "I guess…I got a little lost."

"Do you want anything to eat?" asked Gracia. "You've been gone awhile…did you meet anyone new?"

"Perhaps you went on a date with Jean, or some other guy," offered Hughes, stifling a laugh. "Am I right?"

Riza shook her head for all three queries. "Maybe I'll just have some tea before going to bed…"

"I'll have some brewing for you in no time," said the innkeeper, leaving her husband by the desk and heading off to the kitchen. "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

"No. Thanks anyway."

When she was gone, Hughes turned to Riza. "It's late…did you see the vampire again?"

She blinked twice and played the oblivious newcomer again, avoiding answering the question. "Do people see him more than once?"

"Yeah, some of them do," he replied. "But he never appears before the same person more than once consecutively, at least, that's what Kain and Heymans told me. It takes a very, very long time for someone who has seen him once to see him again, probably because anyone who sees the vampire would stay very close to town for a while, or after several vampire-free nights before even chancing a step into the outskirts. After all, the vampire's never been known to chase a specific someone, that's basically the idea…"

_Not anymore_, thought Riza. _I've met him twice, on two consecutive nights, no less. _She felt her pocket and touched the petals of the roses in it. _But is he…chasing me?_

"Why do you ask?"

"I just got curious," she answered. "I guess…you could say this is a very interesting case."

"But did you see him?" Hughes asked again.

Before Riza could decide whether to cover up her meeting with Roy or not, she was saved by the sound of the kitchen doors opening, and Gracia holding a tray with a teapot, a bowl of sugar cubes, a pitcher of cream, and three cups, saucers and spoons. Hughes suddenly bolted from his spot beside the desk and ran over to her, saying, "Let me help you with that! You know, Miss Hawkeye, my wife has this special recipe for the best tea on such a bitter night like this. It's always a big seller, and it boosts my knife sales when I offer it to my clients…ooh, which reminds me, yes, you can hold your grandfather's birthday celebration here, Miss Hawkeye. We're not doing much on that day, unless of course there is a sudden influx of tourists…"

"Oh…thanks," said Riza, following Hughes, who was following Gracia to a table. Quite a few people were still in the dining hall, but they looked just about ready to leave and turn in for the night. "It's in five days. Sorry for the really short notice. But it's just a simple one." She sat down and smoothed out her skirt.

"No problem," said Gracia, pouring herself, her husband and Riza a cup of tea each. "Would you like one lump, or two?"

Hughes reached out for the cream when she saw something black draped over Riza's chair. "Say…did you go shopping today? That's a nice coat you've got there, and I didn't see you leave the inn with it."

She quelled a gasp in time and answered, "Thanks, I bought it off a boutique around town…"

---

Breakfast and her other usual morning ablutions came and went on her third day in Trissamé. She still felt that she knew the people around for a much, much longer time than just three days, but now, Riza didn't dwell on them as much as she used to. After all, she had much more important things to delve into, she told her steamy reflection in the bathroom mirror after a bath.

Riza was wrapped in nothing but a towel and she dried her hair with another as she stepped back into her bedroom from the privy, which was a door just beside her closet. The steam tailed her as she rechecked the curtains around the only window in the room – they still concealed her view of the outside world, and more importantly, the outside world's view of her.

Before she stepped behind the screen that was set up in a corner of the room for her to get dressed, she glimpsed her bedside table, which no longer had only a lamp – now it also had a small glass vase with two roses, one of which had no thorns, and the black cape hanging neatly over a chair.

For a fleeting moment, Roy crossed her mind.

_You're really going to meet him again tonight – after planning your grandfather's birthday dinner with Hughes, Gracia, Heymans and Kain? _

_Well, I promised him, anyway_, Riza answered herself, unraveling the towel around her when she was safely behind the foldable screen and reaching for her clothes, which were draped on top of the screen, ready for her. _And I could always tell them I'm out to see the town. I have a good reason – I'm practically a tourist. _

When she was fully dressed and the last button on her blouse was buttoned, she drew the curtains from her window and glanced out into the landscape, which was bathed in the bright, almost dazzling morning sun. There were a few white clouds in the light blue sky, so wispy and thin that they were barely visible.

_I wonder what Roy's up to now, _she couldn't help wondering. _He definitely can't be out in this light…_

She sat down and tried to banish that last thought from her head as she brushed her long golden tresses, which were still too wet for any clips. _Why are you thinking of him at a time like this?_

Maybe it was because there was something about him…something that would rate a twenty on the déjà vu scale of ten. Roy reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on that someone. _He's just like everyone here...it's as if I've seen him before, or at least, a man who looks like him, because as far as I'm concerned, this is the first time I've seen a vampire, or at least, someone posing as one…_

Deciding to let her hair hang loose till it dried, Riza pocketed her hair clip, walked out of her bedroom and went down the stairs, headed for the table Hughes – who was also bouncing a giggling, cheery Elysia on his lap – Gracia, Heymans and Kain had occupied.

"Am I late?" she asked, taking a seat between Gracia and Kain.

"Nope, Edward says he'll try to help as much as he can and might drop by," said Heymans, gently pinching Elysia's cheek and getting a bubbly laugh from her. "I don't know if Falman's still got duty in the library…I think he's just working overtime so he can always see Sciezka." He elbowed Kain and the two of them guffawed. "Listen, I've made a list of courses you can choose from that I can whip up for old man Grumman's birthday dinner, which is in five days."

"I'm so sorry for telling you in such short notice," said Riza. "At first I wanted a small celebration in his house, but then Hughes showed me _The Gracious Angel_, which is the perfect place to hold it…"

Hughes smiled widely. "I'm very touched, Miss Hawkeye." He put an arm around his wife as though posing for a photo. "And you didn't have to give us a tip…it's our pleasure!"

Riza found herself glancing at the grandfather clock in the hall as the pendulum swung back and forth in time with each tick of the second hand, wishing that it was already twilight, when it was only half past nine in the morning.

_I just want to get more answers from him, that's all. After all, he never told me why he never made a move to feed on me, or why he wished he wasn't a vampire…just curious…just curious…_

---

"Miss Hawkeye, where are you off to?"

Riza stopped in front of the door, clutching the cape to her chest. The afternoon was warm, but there was still a possibility of another chilly night, and she didn't want to freeze out there – or make Roy waste another cape on her. Plus, it was the nearest thing she could reach when she thought of the cold. Her white blouse, even though it had long sleeves and was the thickest among her choices, would not be enough.

Hughes had opened the door and saw Grumman's granddaughter, ready to leave. On the other hand, he was ready to return from a hard day's work at his knife shop.

"It'll be dark soon," he added, narrowing his concerned light green eyes. "Be careful."

"I just wanted to take a stroll around the town…around the avenue where the most shops are," said Riza, hoping her alibi would pass.

"That's at the east border of town," said Hughes. "Just be careful, and be back soon."

She nodded, looking him straight in the eye. "I will." _Well, Roy hasn't tried anything funny…besides stick roses in my hair after undoing my bun. _"I'll see you later. We can continue working on my grandfather's dinner then, or tomorrow morning."

Hughes waved as she stepped out into the streets of Trissamé, and a cruel wind whipped all around her, as though toying with her. Riza unfolded the cape, and draped it around her, fastening the clasp. If she held it close enough, it would resemble a coat…and she wouldn't be ambushed by vampire groupies or hunters due to mistaken identity. Of course, anyone with half a wit could see that her hair was blond, and Roy's hair was black as the nights he paid a visit to unwitting Trissaméans.

The gale roaring in her ears and clutching her in its frigid embrace, seemingly taunting her, gave her a more sensible reason to wrap the cape as tightly as she could as she traversed the town's cobbled paths, watching the sky slowly lose its usual blue hue, giving way to other colors as the sun bade farewell and conceded to the night. _I must be insane…getting out on a blustery day like this to see a vampire who only comes out in twilight…_

_But I promised him…I would see him again…_

It didn't take long for Riza to reach the grassy and rather bushy park behind a row of shops that were reeling in a few more customers before nightfall. The sunlight in her eyes was now gold tinted with red, and she knew he would soon come. She picked her way through some bushes and got to a clearing that was almost closed in by some flowering trees. The light was fading away fast, casting long shadows that would soon disappear with the sun that made them…

She sat down on a nearby marble bench after shoving some dry leaves out of the way, and realized that the bench was just beside another rose bush. _Roses are pretty common around here,_ she noted. Unlike the roses Roy had given her, these were pure white – not as noticeable as the red ones, but still as beautiful.

Riza surveyed the sunset, and braced herself for the burst of fire, Roy's harbinger, coming when the last of the sunlight was gone and when the sky was nothing but a mix of dark blue, purple and black, all jockeying for dominance of the heavens. Black would win later on, but for now, it was an interesting sight.

And indeed, black soon covered the skies, save a few stars that twinkled here and there. She couldn't help but wonder…where was he? Riza fingered the golden clasp on the cape she wore, noticing that a design that looked like flames was engraved into it.

The wind whistled through the trees, whooshing past and leaving a trail of leaves in its wake, some of which settled in Riza's hair. She raised a hand to brush them off, but instead of feeling something brittle and dry, she felt something warm and soft.

"Let me do that for you, my lady."

One, two, three leaves left her head in an instant, but the hand that had shooed them away to be caught and carried by the next breezy current lingered for at least a second, and for a moment, Riza thought he was going to snap her clip off again.

"You're here again," she said as he came into her view, stepping around the bench and appearing before her.

"You look beautiful tonight." Roy knelt on one knee and kissed her hand again. "But then again, you have always been beautiful last night, and the night before that, even without that cape, which suits you more." He grinned and adjusted the silver clasp on his own, which was just as black as the one he had given her last night.

Riza could feel a blush creeping into her cheeks, and her face burned even more as he sat down beside her. "Thank you…"

"Centuries ago, I met a vampire on my way home one night. He was fast – he grabbed me, took a bite out of my neck, and was gone in a flash. I never met him. I was young…I was only a few weeks short of my eighteenth birthday. I quickly ran for the nearest doctor, but he told me that it was too late. You see, when vampires want to turn humans into their kind, they bite in a different way than when they're just hungry. It's all in the fangs and their angles.

"When the doctor said that by the next new moon, I would become a true vampire, I couldn't take it. I ran away from the town I grew up in…the town you now call Trissamé. I lived alone, only passing by when I really got hungry, and never created a single new vampire. But the sounds of people screaming as I satisfied myself…the ringing of the symbolic bells of sorrow when someone is found dead, which is a custom long gone…a conflict among vampires that decimated the population greatly till I was practically the last one I knew…it was all too much. There was only one way to return to being human, but it came at a heavy price."

"Wait a minute," said Riza abruptly. "Why are you telling me this – me, of all people? Are you going to – "

Roy held up one hand to silence her, and she complied. He then continued weaving his tale. "Unless you died trying, to become human again meant embracing human customs once more. That would mean giving up blood completely. It's possible, but it takes a lot of willpower and nerve to do it and live off whatever normal people eat and drink. I've managed to stay clean for a century now, which is half of my vampire life. I come by Trissamé for two reasons – one, because old habits die hard, and instead of looking for new victims, I end up just lurking around till someone sees me or I get bored, and two, embracing human customs also means embracing the human race. But since I've lived like a hermit for so long…"

She listened intently, nodding at some points but mostly just staying quiet. Plus, she could feel her déjà vu senses tingle again. Most of the story sounded like something she had heard from someone before…

"I still haven't gotten used to seeing others, or at least, seeing others as people and not just as new meat." He laughed grimly at this, a malevolent parody of his usual, cheerful laugh, the laugh that Riza wanted to hear again. "And I never got a chance to share this with anyone…because anyone who saw me would run for their lives. I don't blame them. But not you, Lady Riza." Roy reached across her and plucked a rose from the bush, looking at it longingly.

Not a single word escaped her as she glanced down at her shoes. She tucked a strand of hair that had escaped from her bun behind one ear as she slowly digested what she had just heard, teetering between belief and skepticism.

"That doesn't explain the fire though," was the only thing Riza could say.

"I got into a hobby," said Roy, as a fiery red spark jumped from his fingers and entwined itself around the rose's stem. When it disappeared, the thorns were all reduced to minuscule charred stumps. "Although I got most of it from old vampire magic books, I think it's what you might call pyrotechnics."

She raised her eyebrows and repeated, "Magic?"

"You'd be surprised at how little you know, my lady," was the gentle reply. "After all, you are new here, are you not?"

Riza nodded. "Well…yes…"

Roy turned to face her, no longer scowling in unhappy reminiscence, but smiling cordially in a way that almost made her melt. He moved just a bit closer to her, and Riza felt her heart race, especially as the tips of his gloved fingers brushed her hand ever so slightly.

"Thank you for listening, Lady Riza. And thank you for gracing me with your presence these past few nights. Will I…"

"Yes," she whispered, unable to look away. It was as if only she and Roy existed in this world, and everything else was merely illusion. "Of course…I can't stay in town for long…I will leave four days from now, after my grandfather's birthday…"

Riza bit her lip, tore herself away from his imploring gaze and glanced to her right, where the roses were. "I'm sorry," she blurted out before she could think of something else. She didn't know what would happen when she would have to leave Trissamé…and leave Roy as well…and right now, she didn't want to think about it.

That voice at the back of her mind argued, _Why not? _But she didn't know what to answer to that.

There was silence, except for the wind that wove its complex dance around them, oblivious to what was happening between the two. But this time, it no longer deposited the debris that rode with it on Riza's head.

"Don't think about that; think of the time we still have. Besides, I prefer you smiling than frowning like that. You are much more beautiful when you smile."

She never paid too much attention to how time flew, how she had only known Roy for three days, and how fast her week in Trissamé was falling away. What would that hazy four-days-from-now future be like? And why did she care so much about someone – a vampire, no less – she only met a few days ago?

The corners of Riza's mouth moved up into a semblance of a smile. But her smiling muscles suddenly felt a lot more flexible when he held her hand.

"Now, isn't that much better? That's the Lady Riza I know."

"You don't have to call me 'lady'…Roy. 'Riza' would be fine."

"But you deserve it, my lady."

Riza felt as though her cheeks were being set on fire again. "Oh…" She watched Roy's hand reach up, sweep her bangs away from her forehead and then move down, tracing the outline of her face. Was he…_romancing_ her?

"Thank you…for listening," he said again.

She was now even more aware of the fact that he was inching closer towards her, his breath was warm and comforting on her windblown face, and she watched the breeze lift Roy's black bangs, giving her a clearer view of those pools of midnight blue…and now, Riza herself was moving, until they were scant inches away from each other…

"Miss Hawkeye!"

Another man's shout cut through the night, distant yet clear. Roy and Riza hurriedly pulled away from each other, suddenly becoming conscious of what they had almost done. _No, _she whispered to herself. _We couldn't have…_

"I must leave you now." Fire crackled into life on one side of the bench. "But we shall meet again, my lady." His last few words faded away like his flames.

And just like that, she was alone once again on the bench, with only a white rose for company, until someone broke through the bushes, calling her name over and over again.

"Miss Hawkeye, Miss Hawkeye, is that you?"

"Jean?"

Indeed, it was Jean, shoving aside a bush and cursing loudly, a cigar in his mouth trailing wisps of smoke as he got to her. "What are you doing here? I saw you…and then something lit up – did you see the vampire?"

Riza quickly shook her head and stood up. "I…got lost. And I needed to rest my feet. I almost drifted off…maybe you were just seeing things. There wasn't any fire."

He looked at her strangely at first, but seemed to accept her excuse. "I'll take you back," Jean offered. "Hughes and Gracia must be worried about you. It's really late…it's past nine, actually. But you could have used that path over there, then you'd come out where some shops are, and find your way back to the inn on your own."

"Thanks," she answered, standing up and surreptitiously taking the rose Roy had left. "I must have missed that."

"Let's just go before we see him," said Jean. "Come on."


	5. Heart Versus Head

Riza tried to open the door as quietly as she could after Jean had insisted on accompanying her back to the inn before leaving for home, but there was no stopping the little bell on top that rang every time _The Gracious Angel_'s door swung open. It didn't ring too loud, but she wasn't able to stop the bell completely. Gracia, who had been poring over a novel at the reception desk, looked up at the sound and saw Riza enter, the cold wind in hot pursuit until the door was shut in its face – if it had a face.

"We were about to close for the night, then we realized you still hadn't come back," said Gracia, setting aside her book and stepping out from behind the desk. "Would you like something to eat? You must be hungry. I think we've still got some tea and biscuits…" She wove her way through the tables, heading for the counter not too far from the kitchen.

"That would be nice, thank you," said Riza, nodding. "Where's Hughes?"

"Someone called me?" Hughes waved from a table in a far corner of the hall, his table full of tools and all sorts of small blades. "Sorry, looks like I've had to take home my work. Don't tell me – you got lost again, Riza? Or maybe you've got a date, and you're not telling us?"

Riza wished with all her might that she wasn't blushing, and she didn't know whether touching the white rose in her pocket was helping or making it worse. "No," she answered quickly, taking her hand out from her skirt pocket. "I guess…yeah, you could say I got lost." She arranged her expression into something that could hopefully pass for an ashamed grin. "I'm not very good with directions," she added quickly.

Hughes turned a push knife over and over in his hand. "I see," he said nonchalantly. Riza had this nagging feeling that he was putting together much more than just knives in his head.

_Would he find out? _

_And what if he does? _

_Would he tell anyone?_

"Looks like we've got enough evening tea for three again," Gracia said, bringing a tray over to where her husband and Riza were. "You can just work on those later…you barely ate your dinner."

"I'm all right," he said, waving one of his tools. "I think Miss Hawkeye needs them more than I do. By the way, Heymans will have the final menu for your grandfather's dinner by tomorrow. Just reminding you."

Something about the way Hughes looked at her raised her suspicions.

Or maybe she was being paranoid.

---

After changing out of her clothes and into something more appropriate and comfortable, Riza literally fell into bed and was fast asleep the moment she turned off the lamp, her arm hanging down and the tips of her fingers nearly making contact with the floor. Her hair was all over her pillow and her face, but right now, she couldn't care and was too tired to care.

She didn't see or hear the fire crackle into life beside her, or the man who emerged from the flames, like a born phoenix. Neither did she feel someone gently push away the golden strands that were getting into her eyes, fix her blankets so she stayed as warm as possible and run his fingers along her cheekbone until he got to her lips. He whispered four words into her ear ever so softly.

"Sleep tight, my lady."

Another fiery burst later, the man was gone, and it was as if he had never been there. Not a single scorch mark or trail of ash besmirched the floorboards.

Riza turned over and stirred, smiling in her sleep.

---

"Where are you going with those muffins, Miss Hawkeye?"

Riza looked down at the basket she was clutching with both hands and chuckled at Falman, whom she passed by as she passed through the streets of Trissamé, slowly winding down after a day's work. The sky was already tinged with red and gold – the sunset was nearing, and Riza had spent morning till afternoon continuing to plan the special dinner, approving Heymans' menu and even lending a hand with the marketing and the layout of the hall.

"I'm seeing a friend," she answered, eyeing the notebook he carried in one arm and the pen that stuck out from his shirt pocket. "Is it wrong to bring muffins and juice to a good acquaintance of mine?"

Falman chuckled. "Of course not. You know me – I just get curious. And it's almost dinnertime…why are you out so late?"

She swiftly replied, "You know what we were doing and why I only got out now. You were there, even, until you remembered you had library duty. " With a wave, she went on her way, parting ways with Falman, who turned a corner and disappeared. At least he wasn't following her – the vampire researcher would have a field day if he found out where she was going, and which 'friend' she was visiting.

_It's a gesture of kindness and appreciation…and a way of helping him grow out of his vampire tendencies and become a real human. I wonder…would he be the same Roy as a human? Hopefully…although I wish I could be around when that happens, when he finally completes the transformation and returns to normal…_

Everything was darkening rapidly, but at least this time there were no cold winds to assault her. The cobblestone paths no longer led to houses and other structures that ranged from huge, flamboyant taverns to simple shacks, but wove into a patchwork of trees, bushes and shrubs. She was now in a park, which was actually a slice of the uncultured land that was still full of green and dotted with random man-made creations like benches and a fountain here and there.

There was one splashing gently, the sound echoing throughout the wood. The two stone cherubs had bows and arrows, and their arrows were pointing up, spouting water that cascaded into what looked like two large, ornate bowls, the first one smaller than the other, before spilling into the knee-deep (or was it waist-deep?) pool. Designs ranging from twisting spirals to stars were etched on the bottom, slightly obscured by lilies and hyacinths floating quiescently on the surface. A few fish darted here and there, and some of them swam away as Riza sat down on the edge of the pool and set her basket beside her, keeping one hand on the handle.

The last of the sun was reflected on the water before the afternoon slipped into twilight. And at that very moment, flames went up a few feet away from her. The silhouette of a man was visible behind it, but Riza didn't move where she was, as the last of the fire ebbed away and left the man standing on the spot that should be smoldering right now.

"I cannot stand giving you single roses when you deserve an entire bouquet of them," he said, a boyish smirk lighting up his face as he thrust a dozen red and white roses towards her.

"Oh…I don't know what to say." It was as if Riza's throat briefly went dry. "Thank you…you shouldn't have. But I have something for you too…I bought these for you. After all, you _are_ going to have to get used to eating like people if you want to be human…"

Roy sat down beside her, sweeping his cape so it didn't get into the pool. "I am unworthy of your presence, my lady. You are too kind."

She lifted a hand to her cheek and felt them warm up. "I hope you weren't brushing up on your cheesy pickup lines, because you're better off without them." Riza started opening her basket, which was between her and Roy, and offered him a muffin. They spent several minutes speaking very little and merely reveling in each other's company and the food. The moon was rising as they ate and drank; a beautiful, pale crescent gave them even a little light.

Soon the muffins were reduced to crumbs, the two bottles of orange juice were empty, and Riza put the basket down on the grass, placing the roses on top of it.

"Thank you so much," she said, staring at the flowers. "I can't believe you'd go through all the trouble for someone you've only known for days."

"You're not just any someone," answered Roy, but it was as though he were talking to the moon. "You are a very special lady…Lady Riza. You listen to me, and you even bring me gifts…"

"Tell me…when will you become a true human, Roy?"

He shrugged under his cape, and shook his head. "That's another thing…when I finally shed my vampire identity, I'll know, but the thing is, it can take centuries, and depends on how hard you work for it. I can't wait for that day…I miss being human. I don't know…being a vampire has never appealed to me, not even now, when I'm one."

Riza glanced down at her shoes, nodding and taking in every word he said in his deep, melodious baritone. _I might not be alive anymore when he completes everything…_

"Do you get tired of sitting, my lady? Perhaps you would like a walk?"

"If it's all right with you," she answered.

"Anything is all right with me." Roy threw the question back at her.

"Seriously, if I didn't like sitting around, I would've said something earlier."

"My lady, I'll go along with anything you want."

"Look, you don't have to go through all the trouble of calling me 'my lady'," said Riza with a short laugh. "'Riza' is enough."

Roy inched a little closer to her. "Riza…"

"That's right," she said. "Now isn't that a little easier?" She moved towards him as well before she could think about it, trying to be as discreet as possible.

He did the same, and so did Riza, and what ensued was the two of them bumping into each other with a bit more force than was necessary. She swayed a bit, but managed to keep her balance by clamping down on the edge as hard as she could, but Roy had no such luck and was a little slower. She bit down on her lip to keep from laughing as he fell backward into the fountain, drenching her blouse and her arms. When he sat up, he had such a sheepish grin that Riza quickly covered her mouth as the slightest giggles escaped her lips.

Stretching out a hand, she stood up and helped Roy stand up and step out of the fountain. Water dripped from every part of him, and with a small smile, Riza drew a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped his face.

"Hold still," she scolded him. "Unfortunately, I don't have a towel. And besides, it's a warm night…"

"It is a nice night," said Roy as she finished and kept her handkerchief. He was gazing at the sky again. His fingers found Riza's, and they closed around them. She didn't mind at all that they were still a bit wet from the fountain…and his face was now nearing hers…once again, they could feel each other's breaths…there was nothing to interrupt them now…

_No, _argued her mind. _No…not now…_

_Yes, now, _her heart shot back. _The moment's perfect, nobody's around to ruin it…everything's all right, even though he _is_ a little damp…_

_But…_

_Now's the time…_

_Not yet…you've only known him for a few days…_

_What the hell are you talking about?_

It seemed to go on and on, a war inside her. But in the end, unfortunately for Roy, it was head over heart.

"No," Riza gasped, stepping backward as Roy narrowed his eyes and leaned towards her. "I can't…"

"Why not?" he asked, not letting go of her hands. She wasn't trying to break free, either.

"I don't know…I don't…I _can't_…"

Riza didn't know what came after her as she tore herself away from Roy, picked up the basket and the roses, and ran away. As she sprinted back into town, a single red rose fell out of the bouquet, and when she was out of sight, he bent down and picked it up, holding it close to his chest as he continued to gaze down the path she had taken back into Trissamé before focusing his attention on the flower, examining it at every angle.

He sighed and stood there for a long time until he was completely dry, the rose hanging limply from one of his hands and whispered two words into the night.

"_My lady_…"

---

_A/N: Whoa, sorry 'bout that, everyone. XD This was a lot more rushed than the last one! Dang…_


	6. Fifteen Roses, One Tear, One Word

She had been running; now that she was back in Trissamé, Riza slowed to a walk, her hands tight on her basket and the roses that stuck out of it. If she had bothered to count them, she would have noticed that while all six white roses were still in the bouquet, only five red roses remained.

But she didn't want to think about that now, or what Hughes and Gracia would say when Riza brought home (almost) a dozen flowers. For one thing, they could ask who gave the roses to her. Of course, she couldn't very well say that it was the Flaming Vampire, who introduced himself as Roy to her…possibly only to her. And if she referred to him by his real name, they could start asking questions she may not find the answers to. As she strolled through the streets of the town, she glanced down on the roses, feeling her eyes water, her shoulders shake and her lower lip quiver.

That night, they had come close to kissing again.

_Did I do the right thing…run away from him? But I couldn't…I shouldn't…no…_

No tears came, however. Riza knew better than to cry for something like not getting a kiss from a vampire. After all, she was the one who pulled away at the last minute, who fled from it and left Roy all alone in the park following a battle between her mind and heart, where the former won. It was her fault she was now at war with herself again. It would also be her fault if she never saw Roy again…

_No, stop criticizing yourself, it's not healthy. Next thing you know you'll be uncontrollably soliloquizing your meetings with Roy and your melodramatic four-day stay for everyone in all of Trissamé to hear. And why do you care so much about him, someone you've only known for four days? It's as if you've always been with him all your life…_

_I don't know…I just do. Maybe…could it be possible that I'm…_

At last, she was standing before the front door of _The Gracious Angel_. Trying to shelve her thoughts aside and arranging her face into something more presentable and less suspicious, Riza pushed it open, barely listened to the tinkling bell that announced her entrance, and entered the brightly-lit inn. Judging from the amount of tables occupied in the dining portion of the large hall, she had come back a lot earlier than she had been for the past two nights.

"Miss Hawkeye!"

And she wasn't the only one who noticed how early she had returned to the inn, as Hughes waved from the desk, supervising Elysia, who was perched on it and swinging her legs as she cradled a doll in her arms. He lifted her up from the reception desk and brought her down before walking up to her.

"Good evening," she answered, hoping he didn't start with her basket.

"You'll like tonight's special," said Hughes, absently ruffling his daughter's hair and making her squirm and giggle. She darted off in pursuit of her mother, who was talking with a table of women not too far from the reception desk.

Riza shook her head. "No…I think I'll turn in for the night. I'm not…hungry."

She started for the stairs, but halfway up she slowed down and looked behind her from the corner of her eye. Even without a glimpse, she could already tell that she was being followed, or at least, accompanied with an underlying reason.

"Is there anything wrong, Hughes?"

The reply was a shake of the head and a gesture to keep on walking. Riza did so, and when they reached the second floor and were standing just outside the door to her room, Hughes leaned against the wall and glanced up at the ceiling. He snuck a furtive look at her basket while she was too busy staring at him and wondering why he tailed her. _This must be something serious…_

"One of the most dramatically ironic things in this world," he said in a low voice, "is distant admiration. There are people we admire and claim to 'know' but never get to personally meet. Maybe it's because of distance. Maybe there are cultural differences and inexorable taboos. But most of the time, it is fear that keeps us from making a decision, not just in meeting new people but in life. We fear rejection. We fear failure. We fear a lot of things, and they stop us from doing what we want. Who knows, there could be a friend underneath that idol you worship, and isn't a friend much better to have around than an idol? Don't be afraid. How can you truly know something unless you have experienced it?

"I pity all the young girls around town who are madly infatuated with the Flaming Vampire. They long to be clasped to his chest, to hold his hands and basically to be recognized by him. Alas, they are too afraid to come out and take his hand. I have once heard of an artist who spent all her days painting pictures of him. In a way, I also sympathize with the vampire…probably alone and just looking for someone special, someone who would accept him for who he is and teach him the ways of the human world, help him change and fit into the world. If one woman would go out of her way and befriend him instead of approaching him, then running away and settling for distant, seemingly forbidden admiration…I know it sounds somewhat like an overdone fairy tale…"

"Hughes! Kain doesn't know what to do with the rusted butcher knife! Can you help him out?"

Hughes turned away and yelled back, his voice floating down the staircase, "Coming!" He turned away from Riza and stomped all the way down before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.

Riza could have sworn he winked at her before answering the call or glanced at her basket of poorly-hidden roses, or both. But she quickly banished that from her mind and entered her room, acting as though he didn't take her aside and give her some strange advice.

Right now, all she wanted was a good night's sleep. She would give herself a rest from all the thinking she had been doing ever since their last meeting, and try to relax, even for a few hours.

---

The grandfather clock in the hall chimed the midnight hour. The inn was closed, and everyone was in bed, or at least, inside their respective suites.

The front and back doors remained closed, not a single window was opened or broken, and yet someone managed to enter one particular room on the second floor – by fire. A tongue of flame erupted and sizzled, becoming a burning pillar as tall as a man before disappearing and revealing the unexpected visitor. Except that nobody was around to see the revelation – not even the occupant of the room, as she was fast asleep, too far into Dreamland to feel the tear gently marking a path down her right cheek.

But the tear, wherever it was headed, never made its destination, as a white gloved finger cleared the tiny droplet away.

When that was done, he drew something from the front of his jacket and placed it in the vase on her bedside table, which already had seven white and seven red roses. Then he leaned over, watching her continue to sleep, albeit fretfully, turning over after he had brushed the tear from her face.

After placing a single hand on her head briefly, he disappeared in a rush of fire, punctuated by the black of his hair and cape.

It was exactly a minute past midnight.

---

The sun was a little lower now in the sky as Riza's fifth day in Trissamé came and went, used mostly for another visit to her grandfather and further planning for his birthday dinner. But even as she tried to put her mind to the work laid out before her, sometimes she would end up drifting back to last night, and more specifically, Roy.

She was also treading carefully around Hughes, still unsure whether the things he said when she had returned to the inn were cryptic or coincidental. Had he already put all the pieces of the puzzle together, like the roses in her basket and how she would always leave just before sunset? Did he see through her excuses? Or was this something he told every girl who encountered the vampire, or every girl in general? Riza quickly glanced at him, raving about his beloved Elysia and shoving photos underneath the noses of the waiters who were discussing more important matters.

Riza tapped the dining hall layout she was supposed to be making changes to if necessary, her attention more focused on Roy than the diagram. _Should I find him again? But what good would it do? And will he want to see me again after I ditched him the night before?_

Shaking her head, she desperately struggled to think of other things. She hovered over the layout for a moment, and then found herself thinking of Roy yet again.

_Did he…leave another rose in the vase in my room? But how would he get inside?_

Riza remembered it clearly – after all, it was only that morning when she woke up and saw another rose in the vase where she kept the other flowers he had given her. She knew it had not been there before, as she had inadvertently counted her roses after adding the ones from the bouquet Roy had only recently bestowed upon her…before she left him unexpectedly.

The light streaming through the windows of _The Gracious Angel _were taking on a scarlet tinge. The sunset was near, if not already there. She leaned back in an armchair in the reception area and set aside the layout and her pen on the glass table, crossing her arms and pondering the prospect of seeing Roy again.

_I think I owe him an apology…but how can I say it?_

"What do you think of the layout? It's not too fancy, but then again, this isn't exactly a very formal gathering."

Gracia's voice brought her back to reality. The innkeeper was holding up the paper and poring over the diagram. "No more adjustments?"

"No more adjustments, I think you did a good job on it," said Riza, nodding quickly. "Are you sure you don't need me to help you with anything else?"

"Everything's under control, Miss Hawkeye, no need to worry so much. But thanks for the offer." She walked away with the pen and layout in tow, leaving Riza to notice how the sunlight was gradually changing. In several minutes, the sky would eventually shed its bright livery for something a bit more somber, and she had to make a choice.

Her eyes darted towards Gracia speaking with the group of waiters Hughes was bragging about his daughter to, and it was apparent from their expressions that it wasn't only Elysia he was showing off. Everyone else was busy, either with planning for the birthday dinner or some other random things. Riza knotted her hands together as she searched for the right decision, making sure her heart and mind didn't go to war again…

---

Riza didn't know whether she was marching into her salvation or her demise. Either way, her legs – and her heart – felt as though they were made out of lead. Her hands were buried deep in her skirt pockets, and her head was bowed. She had snuck out of the inn in the hopes that everyone was too busy to notice or care about anyone leaving, and so far, nobody had tried to stop her and ask where she was going, and nobody was pursuing her, except maybe the incipient night.

Night still hadn't caught up with her though; for now, it was twilight. And for anyone in the outskirts of Trissamé, that could mean only one thing.

For the first time, Riza sensed a bit of fear inside her. Not that she was afraid of the vampire – she was more afraid of how the vampire would react upon seeing her. She slowed down as she returned to the same park that they were in last night. It was warm again, but she was shuddering anyway. It was anticipation, not cold.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. A rogue breeze bypassed her, lifting her bangs and failing to budge her usual bun. "I don't know what came over me…"

Riza paused, becoming aware that she was talking to no one in particular. But it would probably do her some good to practice…

"You have nothing to be sorry about, my lady."

Something warm blossomed beside her, and as swift as it had come, it was gone. Now something else squeezed her hand, and she didn't want it to let go.

She couldn't look at him, and concentrated on a flowerless bush on her left. "I…don't know…"

"I guess you must have had a good reason to leave so soon last night. Sometimes I forget how different we are. _I_ should be the one saying sorry, my lady."

"Roy, you did nothing." Riza still kept her eyes on the bush. "Don't say that."

"Then neither of us is to blame, then?"

He was no longer holding her hand, but his arm was around her shoulder, a gentle gesture that somehow lifted Riza's spirits. Without even thinking, she rested her head on his shoulder, now gazing up at the clear sky, devoid of moon and star, even though for a second she thought he would bite into her neck. Of course, she knew there was a very, very slim chance of that happening, knowing what Roy wanted to accomplish.

"I can't blame you," she replied softly.

"I cannot blame you either…Riza."

He took his arm off her and locked her in an amorous embrace. Riza made no move to resist; now she really felt even better. Roy held her closer and tighter, his face almost in her hair, and she acquiesced, drawing as near as she could possibly get, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. They merely stood there for as long as they could, not a single word passing their lips and briefly forgetting about last night – although Riza had a sneaking suspicion that Roy knew why she ended their previous rendezvous, and that was why he didn't make a move to kiss her.

But she pushed that thought into the deepest recesses of her mind. After all, what mattered now was the present, not the past.

It seemed like an eternity and a day had passed when Roy broke the silence, whispering into her ear. She didn't say anything, only replying with a small smile and feeling her heart soar even higher, as though breaking free from everything so earthly and ordinary.

"You really are a very special woman…Riza."

---

_I'll run away from all the pitchforks and torches now. XD_


	7. The Rush of Time

"Hey, Miss Hawkeye's back!"

Kain waved from where he was seated at a table with Heymans and Falman as they heard the bell tinkle and saw Riza come in with rather flushed cheeks and a smile on her face. She waved to the group after shutting the door behind her.

"Good evening," said Hughes, not looking up from where he was examining a small push knife on another table, which was strewn with several metal objects. A teenaged boy, more or less around fifteen, was sitting beside him and looking at the items with a spark of interest in his amber eyes. But he glanced up and also waved to Riza as she passed by them.

"I think you better get into the kitchen ASAP," said Falman to his two friends, leaning back and writing something in his notebook. "I bet Miss Hawkeye would like something to eat."

She occupied the table between Falman's and Hughes'. "It's all right – I haven't even taken a look at what's on the menu tonight." As Riza hid her face behind the provided menu, she scanned the dining hall and watched Hughes. He wasn't obsessing over Gracia or Elysia, which meant he was obviously really busy. But she could have sworn that he shot a furtive, seemingly omniscient look in her direction.

"Where have you been, anyway?" asked Falman after Kain and Heymans dashed into the kitchen. "Gracia last saw you in the reception area when you gave her the layout for the dinner two days from now, and then after that we never heard a peep from you."

"I bet she went to visit some friends," Hughes answered for Riza, finally tearing his eyes away from his work. But there was something in the way he said 'some friends' that made her even more suspicious about him being suspicious of her. "No harm in that, is there? Ooh, did I mention that Gracia will be baking her famous apple pie for old Grumman's birthday? I can't wait – I absolutely love her pie, but not as much as I love her!"

"You mentioned it a dozen times…maybe even more," quipped the boy, standing up from the table. "Anyway, I gotta get out of here. Al probably needs my help…we're working on a little project with Winry. Thanks for the tips, Hughes."

Hughes grinned, flashing the thumbs-up sign. "No problem, Ed. Just call me when you need anything. You sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"

"No thanks…Winry's cooking tonight. It's always nice when she cooks – why are you looking at me like that?!"

"Aw, isn't that nice? Your girlfriend's even offering to cook for you!"

"She is _not_ my girlfriend!" Ed shot back, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "Besides, it's just that we've got some friends over too…"

"Okay then, hope you have a good time! Say hi to your girlfriend for me!"

"_Hughes_!"

"Sorry, sorry…see you soon, Ed."

Falman couldn't resist laughing after Ed left the inn. "I don't know if you annoy more people that way, or by shoving photos of your daughter into their faces. Careful – you wouldn't want to get him mad."

While the two men fooled around, Riza's thoughts wandered off to something else, and for a minute she could almost relive Roy's affectionate embrace, so warm that it almost rivaled the flames by which he arrived every night, at twilight or just after, to meet his lady – his Lady Riza.

_Me_, she confirmed.

He knew how to make her feel special…

"_You really are a very special woman…Riza."_

She was so relieved that he had forgiven – and forgotten – what had happened the night before, when she cut their meeting short unexpectedly. And yet…Roy had been so understanding and reassuring, and chivalrous as well, especially as he had held back the kisses. Perhaps he _did_ know the reason why Riza had to break away from him all of a sudden…

"Umm…Miss Hawkeye? What would you like for dinner tonight?"

Riza blinked, and was back at her table in the dining hall of _The Gracious Angel_, with Kain standing beside her, notepad and pen at the ready.

"Are you all right?" She blinked again as Kain waved a hand in front of her face.

"Oh…sure, hold on, I'll take a look at the menu again…I thought I saw something new that I'd like to try…"

---

After dinner and a bit of light conversation with Falman, Kain, Heymans, Gracia and Hughes, Riza decided to retire early. Tomorrow, they would all be putting together the finishing touches and last-minute updates for Grumman's birthday, and as much as possible, they wanted to finish everything right away so they could just sit back and wait for the fateful day. Of course, Riza had other reasons as to why she would prefer everything done quickly. A gentle smile touched her face as she dressed up in comfortable sleepwear in the bathroom in her room, only to be erased by the notion that she only had two more nights left in Trissamé.

Everything came and passed…albeit a little too fast for her liking. She gazed at her downcast reflection in the mirror as she did the buttons and ran a hand through her hair, already free from its bun. Still, she had to accept it…her real place was in Amestris.

And somehow, thinking of Trissamé and Amestris not only made her heart sink, but also resurrected her long-dormant déjà vu senses. There was something about these two places that seemed entwined, related, perhaps even similar…

Riza tore herself away from the privy mirror and reentered her bedroom.

The first thing she did after opening the door was keep from gasping out loud. She gritted her teeth and tried not to panic as she asked in a low voice, "_What_ are you doing in here?"

For someone was sitting backwards in her chair, his arms folded gallantly on the backrest and gazing fondly at her as she came into view, wearing turquoise pajamas. He waved rather formally with a single white-gloved hand, a wisp of flame trailing in the air and then fading away.

"I wanted to pay you a visit," he said softly. "I know that in two days' time, I may never see you again, my lady. Ever since I met you four nights ago, my life has never been the same."

"Well…neither has mine," said Riza, shrugging. "But you picked a wrong time. I have to go to bed now. And it's a good thing I already got dressed in there." She jerked a thumb towards the bathroom.

"I know my lady doesn't wish me to think perverted thoughts about her, when there are much better things to think of, like how special you are, no matter what." Roy reached out and plucked a rose from the vase nearby, examining its petals. "Very well…sweet dreams, Riza." He returned the flower.

Riza couldn't help smiling. "Now you're just being cheesy." She sat down on her bed and faced him. "You know, I can't sleep if you're sitting there watching me. Unless you have some hidden agenda…"

Roy nearly fell off the chair and shook his head frantically, his face a rich, ruby-red. "No, no, assuming that we are both thinking of the same thing, I did not come here for that. I came here for a visit, to see how you are doing, nothing more. And I cannot stay long – people can catch me in your room and derive a thousand and one reasons from that to get rid of me." He stood and walked towards her, cupping her chin into his hand so she looked up into those dignified, onyx eyes. Riza could feel a giddy, tingling sensation seeping into her and a longing for something…but definitely not a night sharing a bed. And when he let go of her, she somehow wanted him to stay…to hold her for much longer than that…

"I will see you tomorrow night, my lady. And perhaps the night after that…"

"I'm still here for two more days," she said, trying to cheer him up. "I'm not leaving yet."

"But it has been five days – nights, actually – and they have gone by so fast. Will you continue to grace me with your presence before you go?" He knelt down before her on one knee, just as he had done so on their first night together, and clasped her hands. It was his turn to fix his eyes on her bright, reddish gaze imploringly.

Riza sighed. She could never resist that pleading, pitiful expression.

"Yes…Roy. I will."

He beamed at her, sending another exciting spark coursing through her. Then, he and his handsome smile disappeared, erupting in a burst of fire before leaving Riza alone in her room again to reflect on what he had just brought up.

_Two more days…_

Suddenly, she knew she would miss him…terribly. Riza continued to sit there with her head bowed before actually lying down and sleeping, thinking hard and long. She couldn't very well stay in this town forever…

Her eyes began to water, and a tear trickled slowly down her left cheek before dripping down onto her lap. Another one followed not too far behind.

_But it's not yet time…so why are you crying?_

_But five days have come and gone, the fifth having just slipped away. If that's how fast it goes, what about just a couple of days? _

---

Not too far away, in a tight clearing just behind _The Gracious Angel_, Roy leaned against a tree, staring up at a second-floor window, where the light still burned and a blond woman in pajamas sat on her bed, deep in reminiscence. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets after running one through his not-so-tidy black hair. Letting out a long, low sigh, he took a look around him and saw a bush of little blue flowers. But they weren't roses.

They were _forget-me-nots_.

Roy focused on that window again, crossing his arms and half-hoping that she would look outside and see him. Of course, he knew that soon, she would be in bed. Unlike him, she needed sleep.

He thought he heard someone else in the clearing besides him, and reluctantly departed, flames briefly filling his spot.

---

…_Wow, that was one short chapter. XD_


	8. If Tears Could Stop Time

The day before her grandfather's birthday, Riza felt distracted and disoriented all throughout their last-minute touches and changes. The people in charge of the menu already got started on anything that would have to be prepared way ahead of time, and a lot of people were eager to help. Most of them insisted on keeping her out of the kitchen, as she had already done enough.

That left Riza waiting for the afternoon to end and make way for night. She took yet another walk to burn some time throughout the streets of Trissamé, deliberately taking a long route towards the park in the outskirts of town. The sun shone brightly, trying to make the most out of its last few hours (or minutes) and danced about her blond head, giving her something like a halo.

From the corner of her eye, she checked to see if anyone she knew – Hughes, in particular – was around, readying an excuse in case they got just a bit too curious. But nobody came, or at least showed any interest in where she was going. She found Falman standing outside a bookshop talking to a young woman with mousy brown hair and glasses, her arms full of books, but he merely waved to her and went back to his conversation. _That must be Sciezka, the librarian, _she thought with a little nod to herself. _And whatever they're talking about, he looks like he's enjoying it._

Riza continued on her way, trying not to remind herself that this was her second to the last chance to meet Roy…before she returned home. And who knew when they would meet again? Sure, it still wasn't the last time, but…

The sunlight started to change from its usual to a mix of several hues of red, orange and yellow. The sun had begun to set a bit earlier than she had expected, and she was now in the park. A fountain splashed nearby, and Riza saw (with a slight pang of disappointment, regret and reminiscence) that it was the same one they were seated beside when they almost kissed. She attempted to smile, remembering how they had bumped into each other and Roy fell into the fountain, how she had helped him out and wiped his face…

And almost kissed…

She sat down on the edge, watching the horizon welcome the sun. Any moment now, he would come, and when she had to return to the inn, that would leave them with one last meeting…

_When I came here, all I wanted to do was to visit my grandfather and celebrate his birthday. Getting to know a vampire wasn't in my itinerary. Then again, you didn't always have to go by the rules…_

Riza rested her head in her hands and let out a long, low breath. It was darkening rapidly, purple and blue joining the warm colors in the sky. In Amestris, she wouldn't have to await twilight so eagerly…no longer would she have to watch the sunset and expect a burst of flame beside her and a vampire emerging from it unscathed, as though he were born of fire…

The sun was completely gone, leaving nothing but a tenebrous shroud of blue, black and purple. Still, there was no sign of Roy, not even a bit of fire. She heard a splash behind her and entertained herself with the possibility that he could have accidentally fallen into the fountain again, but when she turned around, Riza found nothing but a fish poking its head out of the water. Another fish leapt up and dived back into the pool, ripples spreading out across the surface. The incipient grin on her face was instantly wiped away.

She could feel her heart sinking as the sky became blacker and blacker with every elapsing moment. What if he decided not to come tonight?

As though trying to comfort her, a bit of wind blew past. It was neither warm nor cold, and it gently passed over her, rippling her blouse and skirt, and lifting the bangs from her eyes. As always, it couldn't do much against her tight bun.

That is, until she saw a sea of blond unfold before her – her hair. Riza's hand flew up to the back of her head and groped for her clip, only to find nothing but hair. When she had gotten much of it away from her face, Roy stood before her, a figure almost all in black, grinning as he tossed her hairclip into the air and caught it with one gloved hand. But judging from the way he smiled, it was obvious that he felt the same way she did and was only striving hard to look cheerful.

The wind bypassed them again, toying with his cape. When it settled, Roy took a seat beside her.

"My lady…it won't be the same without you." He handed her the clip. Something about it felt different, but she didn't think too much of it as she took her clip and started fixing her hair again. "You have listened to my stories, kept me company every night since we first met, never ran away at the sight of me…even caught me when I fell." Roy looked down into their reflection in the water before facing her again, pushing away a bit of his dark fringe.

Riza shrugged and smiled as much as she could. Now that he mentioned it, she noticed his fangs less, the only real sign that he was a vampire. After all, he wasn't as pale as she thought vampires were. _Maybe it's because he's trying to learn how to become human again, _she speculated to herself.

"I will never forget you, Riza. This has been the best week I've ever had in my life as a vampire."

"I'll still see you tomorrow night," she replied. "It's…not yet the last…time."

"What about your grandfather's birthday? You will need to be there for him…just as you were for me." Roy laid a warm hand on hers, and Riza didn't want him to take it away. She knotted her fingers with his.

"After the dinner…I promise." She felt her voice catch in her throat and felt a lump rising in it. Her vision started to blur with tears. "I…I…"

Roy wrapped his arms around her, one hand patting her back. Riza stayed silent, his breath on her face as warm and as comforting as it had always been. She felt something else…a tear, chased by a couple more. Without a word she buried her face into his shoulder, drenching it as she sobbed quietly. She didn't know why or how…but hugged him as tight as she could, her eyes still not drying up. But after a while and much to Roy's surprise, Riza suddenly pulled away from him, drawing a handkerchief and wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she began, her voice wavering. "It's just that…"

"It's all right. I understand."

Another tear seeped out from Riza's right eye. Roy took her handkerchief and swabbed it gently away.

"As much as I love the way you smile, I know there are times you just have to cry. I guess this is just one of those times. Oh, my lady…"

He took her into another embrace, clasping her close, a wayward strand of her blond hair tickling his nose.

"You need to get ready for your grandfather's birthday tomorrow," he whispered into her ear. "I will be waiting for you tomorrow night."

"I won't forget," said Riza, nodding. "Roy…"

"I know you won't, my lady." Riza gave up on constantly reminding him to stop calling her "my lady", probably because, a part of her mind insisted, she liked how he said it.

---

Roy surveyed Riza as she walked away, taking the cobbled path back into town. He glanced up at the moonless, starless night sky and frowned, deep in thought.

Riza never saw him snap his fingers and curse, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"Damn…I forgot."

With a little extra power than was needed, he left the park by his most favorite means – fire.

---

"Excited about the big day tomorrow, Miss Hawkeye? Don't worry – Kain and Heymans have volunteered to get Grumman in here tomorrow afternoon so he'll see the surprise. Then from there…"

Riza barely listened as Hughes rattled off their plan. She was toying with her fork after finishing her dinner, and thinking of other things – like vampires – besides her grandfather's birthday. In fact, she didn't even notice that a strange expression suddenly clouded his excited smile; the kind of look people often wore whenever they knew what others were thinking of – or at least, thought that they knew.

"Miss Hawkeye?"

She shook her head, getting back into reality. "Oh…yes, of course. I'm sorry…I guess I drifted off a bit. I must be quite tired."

Hughes nodded, drumming his fingers on the table. "What were you up to awhile ago that's got you tired?" He arched an eyebrow.

Riza shrugged. "I don't know…I mean, I just went to…"

"Visit your friends, I know," he said, continuing to nod. "You must have had a good time. You know, Falman dropped by while you were out for a bit of coffee, and he told me that ever since you've arrived in this town, there haven't been any vampire sightings. This is the longest we've gone without a peep from the guy, or so we know. Would you happen to have any theories on that, Miss Hawkeye?"

Already wearing a mask of indifference, she shrugged. "Wow, I haven't noticed. How would that have anything to do with me?"

He raised his shoulders as well and leaned back in his chair. "Well, it could be possible that you may have something to do with this. Possible…but there are other factors we have to take into consideration…"

Riza almost dropped her fork. Could he finally have the puzzle all put together already, or was he just throwing random bits of conversation around? And if Hughes did know what was going on with her and her nightly visits to see Roy…

"If you have any theories on the vampire missing in action, maybe you should take them up with Falman," she said calmly. "After all, he's the one obsessed with keeping tabs on him."

"Good point," said Hughes with a grin. "Ah, heck, I'll go check on Elysia." He stood up, and Riza stifled a sigh of relief as he walked away. She wondered if he was just naturally curious, or had some other motives up his sleeve.

_I'm just glad he's decided to do something else besides try to figure out if I've got a connection with the Flaming Vampire, _she thought, leaving her table as well and heading upstairs to her room.

By the time she was ready for bed her thoughts were drifting back to Roy again, and she never realized how much she wanted to see him again, at least once before she returned home. It took a while for her to finally fall asleep, and she spent several minutes lying awake in bed half-wishing that Roy would suddenly burst out of nowhere and drop by her bedroom for another visit.

---

At last, Grumman's birthday came – not to mention Riza's last day in Trissamé, as she would be leaving early the next morning. As much as she shoved that fact into the very back part of her head, she often failed and would often be seen around the hall of _The Gracious Angel _wearing an anxious, contemplative expression. Sometimes she paced the reception area, and other times she just sat away from everyone else. Either way, she was very quiet, only speaking when asked, especially about the upcoming celebration.

And as Hughes was too busy showing off Elysia's new dress and gloating about how pretty and immaculate she looked in it, he didn't spark up another interrogation session with Riza, who still watched herself carefully whenever he was close by, just in case.

Eventually, the morning faded into noon, which also passed in a blink of an eye. In no time at all, Kain and Heymans burst back into the inn after having left several minutes ago, bringing a rather confused and semi-formally dressed Grumman with them. Nobody knew what the chef and the waiter told Grumman to persuade him to go to _The Gracious Angel_, but whatever it was, it worked, and he was definitely caught off-guard at the sight of all his friends, family, and most of all, his granddaughter, resplendent despite wearing only a simple sleeveless red cocktail dress that only brushed her knees, with a darker silver-buckled belt that was slightly lopsided around her waist and black, high-heeled sandals with straps that ran around her ankles and were studded with red rhinestones. Her hair was worn down except for a few hairpins that kept any extra strands in place.

Time seemed to flow even faster as everything actually began – tables were filled, waiters rushed all over the place, and conversations were sparked up here and there. And Hughes continued to table-hop, with his daughter Elysia in tow, beaming with fatherly pride that seemed to be the constant fuel for his unending escapades.

---

"So, Riza, how do you like it here so far? I may also have to leave soon as well…there's work, after all," said Grumman. He was seated at a far-off end of the hall with Riza, the two other guests who had been sitting with them having decided to leave early.

"It's…nice." She chose a safe answer, and from the corner of her eye she could see through the window that gave her a clear view of the rather woodsy area at the back of the inn. Long shadows were cast all over, a sure sign that the day was about to end, coupled with the all-too-familiar reddening of the sunlight and sky. "I'll miss it," she added. _Especially Roy…_

Riza looked around. It was as if time was suddenly warped and went full speed ahead – many tables were now empty, Elysia was asleep on a nearby sofa under Gracia's watchful eye, and Hughes was now talking quietly with Falman and Sciezka. Other people were scattered here and there, either still engaged in their last few bits of conversation, or ready to leave. _It's strange…when you want time to go faster, it seems so slow, and when you want it to slow down it goes by in the blink of an eye…_

"Well…that's good," said Grumman, nodding in approval and adjusting his glasses. Riza snapped out of it and glanced back at him. "Anyway, thank you so much for this…it was a great birthday, one I will definitely never forget." He patted her on the shoulder. "Unfortunately, I must go now…see you soon, Riza. Thank you once again."

He stood up, brushed something off his jacket, kissed his granddaughter on the cheek and was gone. Looking at the window behind her, Riza saw the sky finally succumb to the night, and thought she saw something move outside. _No…it can't be. If it is, then he's right on time, right when everything's done…but…_

Without thinking, she left the table as well, rather grateful that nobody noticed, not even following the clicking steps her sandals made as they stepped across the hall and towards the back door of the inn. It was open, and she gently turned the knob, walking out into the star-studded night and the clearing punctuated by several flowering bushes and tall trees. She thought she caught the faint whiff of rain, but didn't dwell too much on it.

Her ears picked up the sound of something crackling, and whether it was fire or just some dry leaves, she couldn't tell.

"Roy?" Riza called softly. "Is that…you?" She trod through, careful not to accidentally get any part of her snagged in the foliage. But she made it without a single scratch, and came to a more open area, ringed by rose bushes and emphasized by a single tree bending over a man all in black underneath it. He raised his head, eyes sparkling at the sight of the woman looming before him.

"My lady," he whispered, tossing back his cape and making his way towards her. Roy opened his arms, and she swooped into them, and they embraced, living in the moment and trying hard not to think of how they may never see each other again after tonight…

"Won't anyone…see you?" she asked, her voice muffled in his shoulder.

"No. I've been here a few times before, and nobody has seen me. But enough about that. There is something I forgot to do – tell – say to you last night."

Their eyes bored into each other's. Riza nodded; her arms tight around his shoulders. But she was unprepared for what was coming, and nearly lost her balance as Roy inched as close as he dared towards her face, his lips so very near to hers…

And then they touched.

A curious, sensational feeling blazed through Riza as though _she_ were being set on fire. But she held on and never moved, as she enjoyed that feeling, as her heart beat so loud and so fast, as her knees seemed to turn into jelly…it took her several seconds to realize that he, Roy, the Flaming Vampire of Trissamé, admired by women and feared by the townspeople, was kissing her.

---

_I apologize; I was writing this at 2 in the morning. XD This is the second to the last chapter, guys. Yikes._


	9. First and Last Dance

_Unfortunately, this is where the (lame, cheesy, clichéd, overdone, etc.) ending comes in. Anyhow, thank you to all who read and reviewed my story…and…yeah. XD_

---

_I'm kissing him._

It was as if she had become blind and deaf to everything else except for the man – vampire – clutching her close to him, his mouth on hers. Contrary to what she expected, she didn't get a dominating, fierce kiss, but a gentle one infused with his dignified gentlemanliness. She didn't see the lightning bolts jumping from one dark cloud to another, or hear the thunder in the distance. Riza closed her eyes, feeling nothing but the touch of his lips and the warmth of his body encircling her…

_I'm kissing Roy…_

Her eyes suddenly snapped open when she felt him pull away ever so slowly. A strange yearning rose inside her; she somehow wanted more. Roy was no longer embracing her, but cupped her face with his gloved hands, staring at her with his deep, midnight gaze, his mouth turned up in a gentle, affectionate smile, while her arms were still around his neck. Neither of them minded when it started to drizzle, tiny droplets of water plopping onto their heads.

"My lady…never have I met anyone like you…never, whether as a human or as a vampire…"

She felt her breathing and heartbeat accelerate, as though they were racing each other. The drizzle also started to speed up, bringing more rain that seeped into their eyes and ran down their hair, but neither Riza nor Roy cared. All they cared about now was each other, their very last night.

"Neither have I…I mean…"

"Lady Riza…before you leave, there is something I must tell you." Brushing the wet bangs from his face, Roy let go of her cheeks and swept her up in another embrace, so tight that the scents of his breath, his perfume and the rain mingled together. He freed one hand and held her chin, bringing her towards him for another kiss, and she was only too glad to comply. She sensed something falling from her hair – probably a hairpin – but right now, there were more important things than her hair, from which tiny streams of water dripped onto the ground.

Once again, that sensation blazed throughout her entire being, a spark that would start a roaring fire inside her. They held for a shorter time, much to Riza's slight disappointment. The rain was growing stronger, and the lightning was like a spotlight on them, illuminating their features for a split second before everything was night and rain again.

"My lady…never have I loved a woman like you…never have I loved…"

Roy had to raise his voice over the thunder, and he reached out to touch his lady's wet face, his finger retracing its outline, just as he had done before. His other arm was entwined around her waist.

"Before you go," he whispered, so quietly that Riza leaned in to listen, hoping to get something more than just the beating rain, "I just want you to know…"

"Yes?" She urged him on, never relinquishing her grip on his shoulders.

Roy frowned thoughtfully for a moment, running a hand through his drenched hair. _Whether he's wet or dry, he looks good, _Riza remarked mentally as that hand went back to her chin, but not before pushing soaked strands of her blond hair from her forehead, which he kissed. Then he faced her again, wearing a serious, passionate expression.

His next few words sent her falling…falling through pools of midnight blue, and then floating. At the same time she felt like a match in his hands, set ablaze by a single stroke. The fire within her burned more fervently now, unquenched by the continuing storm, or the fact that this was their last meeting and pretty soon they would have to cut it short…

"Riza…I love you. I have loved you ever since we first met…right then and there I knew…I couldn't care less if you're a human or a vampire…"

"Roy…" She couldn't say anything more, as her voice faded into the cacophony of thunder and rain. As she blinked raindrops out of her eyes, she saw through the slightly watery blur that Roy was taking her hands, clasping them with his own and close to their chests. He held them as though he would never let her go. His face was a little sadder now, filled with a desire to always be by her side.

And she couldn't blame him; for all she knew, she probably looked the same way.

A wind rushed past them, whipping more rain into them. Riza pressed herself into Roy, and not just for the warmth, and he took her gladly, smiling the dignified, chivalrous smile that she knew melted many women's hearts…and her own. He caressed her head and her back, as oblivious to the real world as she was. For a while they stopped talking, and the noise of the storm was magnified tenfold, as though the heavens were also grieving with them.

Riza could scarcely believe what she said to break the silence between them.

"I love you too, Roy."

Just as she softly said his name, Roy kissed her again, a gentle, ardent kiss so incongruous to the inclement weather raging around them. If anyone saw them now, they would have though that nature really was trying to pull them apart, but no wind, no rain, no thunder and lightning could tear the vampire away from his lady, or the lady away from her vampire, the man who deeply respected her mortality and never made a move to turn her into one of his kind…

They held, arms around each other, and it seemed as though they would never break away…never…never…

---

Riza opened her eyes.

Beaming, morning sunlight streamed into them, making her wince at the sudden flare of light. She was lying down…but where? Was she still in her room in _The Gracious Angel_, or had something happened? Scratching her head, she slowly got up into a sitting position, feeling the mattress shift underneath her. But there was something different now…somehow…

Somehow she was no longer in Trissamé. Glancing around, Riza saw a table, a chair with something blue and gold draped on it that looked like a uniform, among other very familiar things…she surveyed her surroundings and made absolutely sure that she was definitely not in that town that had plagued her with déjà vu for a week.

Far from it – she was back in her own bedroom, her own home.

Trissamé, all that déjà vu, _The Gracious Angel_, and most especially the Flaming Vampire, were all a dream.

Squinting at the clock on the wall, Riza could see that it was a little past eight in the morning. She had overslept a bit, in terms of her usual schedule, but it didn't matter, as she had no work on that day. It was the 31st of October, according to the calendar not too far from the clock, a Saturday, and most importantly, the day of the Amestris military's annual Halloween party, which usually started around mid- to late afternoon and continued through the night.

_But that dream…it seemed so real…_

Riza spent a long while sitting in bed, mulling over her dream. Many images were still vivid, such as that of Roy, the vampire. She noted that he had the same name as her commanding officer in the military – Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. Now that she was back in reality – as in, the _real_ reality – she recalled the people she had met in her little fantasy world, how they were so very much like the people she knew in real life – like Hughes the knife seller in her dream and Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, knife thrower extraordinaire and a good friend of hers, for instance. Both were married to women named Gracia, and had daughters named Elysia…

She shook her head and got up, frowning as she passed her mirror. _Why are you obsessing over something as simple as a dream? There are more important things that you can obsess over._

_Still…it had been so real…_

Riza quickly shifted her focus on more important things – like her shooting practice in the morning and the party later on – which, she added to herself, she had only been pressured to attend by her comrades (especially the women) in the military who wanted to see her – more importantly, in a costume. Plus, she had nothing else to do that afternoon.

At this, her eyes flicked towards her closet. Before she could head for the bathroom, she walked up to it and opened the door, instantly finding the long, flowing, scarlet robe inside that she would be wearing to the party as part of her costume. After all, she was going as a queen from old monarchial Amestris.

Now where else had she seen that shade of red?

---

The party was held in the largest convention hall of Central Headquarters. The place was already lavishly decorated with balloons, streamers and banners, mostly with orange and black, the supposedly official colors of Halloween. Two huge buffet tables were against the east and west sides of the hall, and smaller round tables ringed a clear area in the middle, possibly a dance floor. Central's resident marching band provided the music, with members playing in shifts so everyone could have a break and experience the party, which was mostly comprised of military officers of Central, but some other soldiers from the other branches, and other invited guests, dropped by as well.

"Lieutenant, you look so beautiful!"

"I love how red your gown is. And is that a tiara? And your cape…"

"I bet all the men would want to dance with you, Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Riza wondered if she was already blushing till the color of her face rivaled that of her costume as she passed through and received compliments from many of her female friends in the military. But finally, she got to her table, and plopped down beside a black-haired man who had an arm around a woman with lighter hair. They were dressed as an ancient Liorite couple, dripping with (fake) gold jewelry. In a chair between them was a little girl in a black cat costume, grinning at Riza as she sat.

"Is this a historical theme, Lieutenant Colonel?" Riza asked.

Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes shook his head and laughed. "Not really…I've seen others. Heck, you should see Roy, his costume's a hoot! Almost all the women are fighting over who'll get the first dance with him! Of course, _I_ know who I'll give my first dance to…actually, all my dances…"

"Awww, Maes, that's so sweet of you," said the other woman beside him, who was obviously his wife Gracia. She turned to Elysia and adjusted her daughter's cat ears. "Although you might want to save one for Elysia. And that dress really suits you – it goes with your eye color, First Lieutenant Hawkeye."

"Go on; try to guess what the Colonel's wearing tonight!" Hughes pressed on, picking up Elysia and bouncing her on his lap.

Somehow Riza already had a vague idea, and she didn't know how or why it came to her. "Hmmm…a vampire?"

"How'd you know?"

Riza shrugged and patted her bun, which was tighter and neater than usual and had two jeweled sticks stuck into it. "Wild guess. Or maybe it's not easy to miss that figure in black being followed by several women."

Another man, clad in an orange and purple jester outfit, went over to their table, but unlike Hughes, he wasn't smiling widely. In fact, he looked like he had been dumped.

"I thought she and I were meant to be!" he ranted, burying his face in his hands as he occupied the space two seats away from Riza. "She said she liked funny men, so I decided to go as a jester, but then when Mustang came around, she suddenly ditched me and practically pulled another girl's hair when they argued over who should dance first with the Colonel!"

"Calm down, Havoc," said Hughes airily. "There are so many other women you could ask. Besides, it's not the end of the world if you don't get to dance. And you can still have fun dancing on your own!" He nudged Riza after every few words, winking and glancing from Havoc to her and back again, but Gracia's husband stopped after Riza gave him a glowering look.

Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc just groaned and crossed his arms. "What do I have to do to get a date, disguise myself as Roy Mustang? Hey – maybe I could ask that girl over there, the one dressed up like an angel!" He stood up and followed said girl.

"Hey, that's a good idea for next year's Halloween! I never took up alchemy, but I still ended up with the best woman in the world!" Hughes bragged after him. "And we even had a cute little daughter together! I've got pictures of her while we were fitting the cat costume and more – wanna see? And isn't Elysia the most adorable girl you've ever seen? I mean, look at her! Gracia helped me pick out her outfit just – "

A shadow suddenly fell over Riza, briefly blurring all spotlights and chandeliers in her vision at the same time music started playing – it wasn't a slow song, but then again, it wasn't too peppy either. Hughes stopped talking and placed Elysia back onto her chair and said cheerily, "Well, well, if it isn't the ladies' man himself! You could pick out a potential wife from one of your – "

"Do you want me to take a bite out of your neck, Hughes?" asked the man who had arrived at their table, dressed mostly in black. As a few women passed, they pointed eagerly at him and whispered excitedly, some of them even forgetting to keep their voices down.

The lieutenant colonel pretended to shrink back in fear. "Ooh, I'm scared. I'll break out the garlic and the crosses and the stakes! Wait…ancient Liorites used other means to banish vampires. Heh. Nice fangs, Roy."

Riza blinked several times. She could feel the déjà vu knocking on her door again as she glanced up at her commanding officer and images from her dream blazed into life in her head – images of a vampire who came and went night after night behind a wall of flames, who treated her like a queen, and eventually kissed her one rainy night…

But this particular vampire was not Roy, the Flaming Vampire of Trissamé, but Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist and one of the most famous State Alchemists of Amestris.

Still, the likeness between them was uncanny.

_But why are you thinking about something like this…at a time like this, anyway? And it was only a dream…vampires aren't real; in fact, the Philosopher's Stone is a lot more real than they are…don't be silly. You're no longer dreaming…_

The music was starting to pick up, and it snapped her out of it. The first thing she saw was an outstretched, white-gloved hand extended towards her.

"I would be honored…if you dance with me, Lieutenant Hawkeye." Fangs – fake ones now, she knew – gleamed as Roy flashed a smile, so very much like and at the same time unlike his usual cocky smirk.

Riza had this feeling that Hughes was now whispering in his wife's ear – with a big, jovial grin to match. She stared at him in disbelief, wondering if he was pulling her leg. After all, there were so many other women he could choose for a dance partner, and some who would probably even _kill_ for a dance with him. But Roy kept his position, and he wasn't laughing; just smiling. Feeling something against her arm, she resisted the urge to scold Hughes for jabbing her discreetly.

_Hughes_…

Her thoughts shifted back to her dream again, more specifically, a scene with the one called Hughes.

_Don't be afraid. How can you truly know something unless you have experienced it?_

_Now how did that get there? _Riza wondered silently.

"That is, if it's all right with you," Roy hastily added, withdrawing his hand and obviously noticing her hesitation.

The song went on as she stayed quiet, unsure of what to answer. But after a brief debate with herself, the lieutenant finally stood up, smoothing out her gown and adjusting her tiara. Riza could feel the eyes of several women on her, those who desired a dance with the Flame Alchemist. She wouldn't be surprised if they were whispering things about her behind her back as well, not that she cared.

"Of course…sir," she said. Slowly she extended her right hand for him to take. Roy took it, and once again, Riza was reminded of her dream. _Was it trying to tell me something, or what?_

She would have to think about it later – after all, right now she had to focus on putting one foot in front of the other as the colonel led her towards the dance floor. When they got there, they quickly got into the swing of things, and some couples even cleared the way, especially as Roy twirled her around and they slid across the floor. At first, Riza felt a little awkward, but as the music kept on playing, she started to – there were no other words for it – have fun. She couldn't help but smile as she spun away from her partner and right back into his arms, and apparently Roy was also enjoying himself.

When the song ended, he took her back to their table. Both of them were a bit tired, but continued to smile.

"Thank you…Lieutenant."

"You're welcome…Colonel."

"Are you sure you're not up for another one?" asked Roy slyly.

Riza grinned weakly. "Maybe…later."

"I'll be back," he promised softly, winking and walking away.

But she felt a strange sensation of longing when he chose a brunette in an angel costume for the next song – the same girl Havoc was chasing awhile ago.

_Maybe later, _Riza told herself, sitting down again. _After all, he did say he'll be back. _

_But why do you want to dance with him again, anyway? Does it have anything to do with my dream last night…or not?_

She sighed, adjusting her tiara and watching Roy and his new partner start dancing, but she could have sworn he glanced in her general direction as they glided past her, as though also wanting to dance with her again too.

**THE END**


End file.
